Abandoned
by Demon Angels
Summary: Kuki finds herself lost, alone, and afraid in a world where the adults are less harmful than the knives friends stab in your back. When you're not sure who to trust...can you even trust yourself? 3/4; 1/5 **Slight editing in 2010* :D
1. Prolouge

Title: Abandoned

Disclaimer: Don't own KND.

Author: Demon Angels

Pairings: 3/4; 1/5; some Lizzie/2 later on.

Warning: Angst, bad writing, and a lack of sense, perhaps?

The rain was falling fast and mercilessly. It blended in with her tears and wet her hair. Each drop sent another chill down her spine. Thoughts ran fast in her mind and she couldn't think clearly. Suddenly her body felt heavy and she tumbled on the rock hard gravel. The pain was no competition to the one that ripped at her heart.

She brought her arm closer to her eyes and soft whimpers escaped her lips. She gathered some strength and brought herself to her knees. Wiping away the dirt that mixed in her tears, she sought refuge under a shop umbrella. For warmth she hugged herself tight. The first time in hours she could think.

She didn't know how any of it began... just wasn't sure at the moment. Her head was pounding loudly. _Where had all the pain come from?_ Her insides felt as though her heart were trying to escape through her chest. Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she bit her bottom lip.

The pain took advantage at that sudden moment. It felt like someone was stabbing a thousand knives right through her heart. More tears met her porcelain cheeks.

Her friends betrayed her.

_**You never had friends**_, a voice hissed in her head.

_You're right..._ she surrendered to the voice without any fight. After all the words said, how could she deny it? They hated her. Each one said it themselves.

_But _he_ didn't say anything_, she convinced herself, grasping for that last straw.

_**Exactly! He didn't stop them... Which makes him just as guilty!**_

Her lilac, black eyes shut tightly as cold tears stung her face and the rain seeking refuge bit at her flesh. Strands of long black hair stuck to her now pale cheeks. Her eyes felt heavy and weak. She allowed herself to drift off as thoughts of the morning circled her head. She had let that last straw slip through her fingers and lay falling.

Just this morning all her friends betrayed he, leaving her stranded. All alone.

The raven haired child hated to be alone.


	2. Flashback

Original post date: 1/26/03

Thank you's- To all those who reviewed and my friends at WMS who read my story and told me to post it and my friend who passed it out in the first place! XD

Special Thank you's- To Neosun7 for telling me how to get the paragraphs right!

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Chapter 2:Abandoned-Flashback

It was an extremely boring day as far as one could tell. Although she had just woken up to silence, which engulfed the entire tree house. A yawn escaped her mouth as she stretched her arms. Her eyes were barely opened, yet no one seemed to be around.

Sighing deeply she kept up her pace walking slowly down the hollow log that served the purpose of a hallway. For a second she almost swore that she could hear the familiar voices of her friends. Shaking her head she dismissed the thought. They were probably out somewhere and never bothered to wake her up.

"She's a total, 100% flake, Numbuh 1!" She could tell that the voice belonged to one of her friends. Numbuh 5, who was the only other female of the group.

"Yeah Numbuh 1," another voice agreed. She was almost certain that it was Numbuh 2.

Leaning an ear closer to the slightly opened door she could hear her friends muttering under their breaths.

"I know. I know..." She could tell it was Numbuh 1 by the thick accent in his voice. "However..."

"No buts! She's a disgrace! She gives us all a bad name." Numbuh 5 spat passionately. Silence followed her short speech as the group- at least to the young oriental girl's opinion. Numbuh 5 had always been the voice of reason...when she chose to have a voice at all.

A few questions ran through her mind at that point. Questions such as: Whom were they talking about? Why was Numbah 5 so _angry_? But what she wanted to know the most was: _what was going on?_

"She's a ditz!" Numbuh 5 continued, "a big time ditz! Tell Numbuh 5 one good reason she should stay! I'll wait...

"Hmmm?"

There was a long pause before Numbuh 1 began, "You're absolutely right, Numbuh 5. But she is an important part of the whole..."

"Not really. Unless you count finding trouble important," Numbuh 2 quipped.

"That's Numbuh 5's point exactly! She's never done any good for us. Not once! Face it! If we get rid of her it would be the best thing to ever happen to us."

"I guess..." Numbuh 1 stopped for a was becoming clear to her. Who they were talking. _It was her. _They wanted her gone. For good. Forever.

She found that it was important to listen to what Numbuh 1 had to say. She bit her bottom lip extremely tight to keep from letting her soft whimpers be heard. Soon her mouth tasted of copper- blood. She drew in rushed breaths through her nose as the tears began to pour. Bravely she opened the door a bit more to peek in. Numbuh 5, 2,and 1 were still talking while Numbuh 4 just sat there not even talking or taking notice. _Strange, _was her only sane thought on the matter.

Closing the door completely the raven stood for a second. Her bangs covered her eyes but it was quite clear she was crying from her wet cheeks.

Her friends wanted her gone. She'd do them a favor one last time. She'd leave them. For good. Forever.

Taking one last look at the dark, hollow hallway she ran out of the tree house not knowing where she'd go.

_Where could a child in the world of adults go anyway?_


	3. Glory's Diner

Thank you's: To my sister who read this over first, and everyone who reviewed!

Also credit to:

Pansy Potter- Who suggested that I should put #4 pov in

Pweney16- whose idea I found somewhere about my fic and I wanted to use.

Disclaimer: I do not own KND some rich guy must...'Sides I'm extremely broke!

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Glory's Diner

A numbing sensation stung through her body, quickly working its way through every nerve ending. She groaned at the bright light which shone brightly in her eyes as she opened them that first morning. She covered her eyes with one hand and looked around best she could.

The street was no longer deserted. The rain had ceased its down pour. She felt for the wall behind her and carefully lifted herself up. The tears still felt damp on her cheeks and she did her best to wipe them away.

She could only wonder how long she'd been asleep? And why had no one tried waking a sleeping girl on the ground?

She yet again slumped down next to the wall. No one took notice to her existence. Like she was nothing. And at that moment Numbuh 3 could only think that they were right.

Her world was spinning everywhere. She had a splitting headache, but it wouldn't stop the poor tilt of the earth. If only she could get off such a terrible ride. Sighing she looked around again. Many people were too busy to even stop. The street looked nothing liked it did earlier...yesterday.

She shook her head and sighed. There was that heart breaking feeling swelling again like a bruise before it healed. Except this time she didn't know how long the healing process would take. For once she didn't want to think positive or smile or be cheerful at all. She just wanted to cry and forget about whatever life she had. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. But it was all reality.

Numbuh 3 turned around to the shop that had been her refuge from the small storm last night. The window had the words 'Glory's Diner' written in silver and outlined in blue. Her feet felt weak and wobbly, but somehow she made it to the door. She pushed it open and looked at the restraunt. It seemed a bit packed but overall peaceful. Something she wasn't accustomed to these last dreadful hours. Numbuh 3 made her way to the counter where there were red covered stools lining the metal island. Many of its occupants sat droned to the television. The morning news was on, but Numbuh 3 had never been partial to that sort of torture. The walls were made of mirrors and reflected the actions of the customers, so she occupied her sight with that instead. She felt like she should be with people. Even if they didn't want to be near her, or even know her.

She looked at the wall and finally saw her pale face. Her eyes were completely red. She twirled on the stool to look away from the mirror. She hated the way she looked. More or less at this moment she hated everything.

"You don't look like much of a frower. Why the long face?" The voice _seemed_ friendly. She looked and found an adult with short brown hair and glowing green eyes staring straight at her. Numbuh 3 didn't think she could trust an adult but she had an air of kindness to her. Plus, she had been the first person to acknowledge her existence thus far. And that smile had the seal of sincerity drawn all over it.

Numbuh 3 looked down to stare at the top of the counter. "Would you be happy if.." She stopped for a second. The memory still brought tears into her eyes. "...Your only friends talked behind your back and betrayed you in one morning?"

"Oh..." Was all she could say to Numbuh 3 at the moment. The adult allowed it to sink in for a second. Then she replied sadly, "Im sorry."

"Sure," Numbah 3 said. She was trying her best to hold back the tears so much. She'd always been a crybaby...

"Are you sure they were talking about you?"

Numbuh 3 looked at her strangely, "Of course! They said I was a ditz and a flake.. and other mean things. They wanted me gone. So, I left."

"Its sad when friends say mean things about each other. I should know. Once a friend said a lot of terrible things about me, and I found out from other kids in our class, never from her..."

"I'm sorry," was all Numbuh 3 could think of saying.

"Excuse me?" An extremely large women grunted, approaching the counter. The Adult, so proclaimed, whipped out a note pad and pencil. "? To go."

By the end of her rushed order The Adult seemed utterly confused and had only written the word 'cow'.

"Mind repeating that?"

Numbuh 3 took a large breath, "She said she needed two hamburgers, three large fries, six onion rings, one hot dog, and a chocolate milkshake," she repeated from the back of her mind.

The Adult scribbled it all down after the approving nod from the customer and rung the bell all the while starring bewildered at Numbah 3. "How'd you do that?" she asked after the large women left.

Numbuh 3 shrugged, "I dunno."

" you remember all that?"

Numbuh 3 thought a minute and then nodded, unsure. "Yeah, umm A hamburger deluxe, extra large no pickles, small fries, and a coke to go. Why?"

The adult smiled happily. "How would you like a job. We're short on staff here... And I'd feel real lucky to have you!"

"You can't do that.."

"Why not? After all I own the restaurant."

"I'm too young," Numbuh 3 reasoned. The action felt odd in her mind.

"How old are you anyway?"

"Almost 12..."

"No problem."

"Don't I have to be 16?"

"Well.. Does it really matter. If you want to work here I can't stop you." She replied back, winking.

Numbuh 3 smiled despite the emptiness, "Yeah!"

"Great! You start tomorrow!" She said happily.

"But I have no where to go..." Numbuh 3's expression dropped once again.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we can work something out..." At this Numbuh 3 smiled lightly again, though her heart beat in anticipation. She had just agreed to work for the enemy! "My name's Lena. What's yours?"

Her name was on the tip of her tounge. It just never had a chance to come out. "My name is K.. K..Kayonie." She lied.

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The others were gone and left him to his thoughts. There had been a sudden rush when they found that Numbuh 3 suddenly vanished. The others left and thought to keep him there incase she came back. Of course he protested until the bitter end. They'd given him no other alternative.

He had that sinking feeling in his gut. Like something bad would happen or worse... Already had.

He prayed that it had nothing to do with Numbuh 3. He'd blame himself, although Numbuh 4 had done nothing to his knowledge.

The darkness in the room engulfed him. It was beginning to become unbearable. The butterflies kept nipping around inside. He hated this feeling.

Sometimes.

He sighed and laid straight across the velvet couch. He was bored, yet anxious. But there was nothing to be anxious of. He knew the others would bring her home. He gulped, and alive too. Numbuh 4 looked around again unconsciously. There were so many questions, but none answered.

Maybe she was already back and he'd taken no notice! It was a particularly large tree house. Numbuh 4 heaved himself of the couch and walked out the door. Three more metal doors stood in his way. Each had a numbers written across their entrance to identify the owner of each room. Numbuh 4 walked towards the door with the big '3' written on it. But he was disappointed to find the room unoccupied by anyone but the huge stuffed animals that took up the entire room practically. They stared back at him- almost accusingly.

_What had he done to make her leave?_

Seeing that he had been defeated by reality, Numbuh 4 shivered and went back to his room. Looking about his messy and untidy room he sighed with exasperation. He decided to go to bed because he probably wouldn't be seeing Numbuh 3 until morning anyway...

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She wasn't sure why she'd lied to Lena. Maybe she felt she still couldn't trust her, even though she'd been so nice to her.

It was just one of those things she didn't quite understand. She was tired, though, and that was all she pretty much knew. The clock that hung on the white wall read 12:39 in flashing red letters. She sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that night.

The day had been so long and tiring. The asian child was still sad about what her friends had said. She missed them. But didn't know why...

She picked up the brush on the counter and ran the throngs through her hair. Lena had offered to let her stay in her house temporarily, until something had been figured out. Numbuh 3 had accepted, though hesitantly, of course.

The room was nothing like the one she had in the tree house. It was not entirely filled with Teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Though there was a stuffed puppy plopped on her bed as a 'homecoming' present from her _temporary adult_. It was extremely cute.

Numbuh 3 didn't understand why but she felt guilty about something. And wasn't lying about her name to Lena. It was something else but she wasn't sure what.

She felt pretty much homesick. But now she had a new home. With someone that wanted her.

She was probably never going back to the Kids Next Door. She'd loved to, though. To see her friends, to frolick through the leaves above the contemporary tree house, to stay up passed their bed time just to watch late night horror films. And she would work on her nature- to not be so ditzy and useless to her friends. No matter what though, she knew they wouldn't want her back. But she'd still miss them even after what they said.. She would always miss them. But she knew they wouldn't miss her.

Numbuh 3... No, Kuki had to give up the past to better her new future. One where she could be someone of worth. Even if it were as a completely different person.

She fell back on the bed she'd been offered earlier. Thinking over the heart breaking day she gently closed her heavy eyes. Within a few seconds, Kuki fell asleep.

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R/R!


	4. New Lives

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

New Lives

A loud buzzing noise yelled in her ears. Kuki's eyes shot wide open. She picked up the small object that created the noise and flung it across the wall. When the noise stopped she sighed in annoyance.

"I take it you don't enjoy alarm clocks," an amused Lena walked into the room. Her usual smile had been painted on, and this time even her eyes wore a shade of green that brightened her overall appearance. Kuki found herself memorized for a brief moment, thinking how it might not be so bad to be an adult if she could wear make-up and be pretty. She didn't have much time to mull over her traitorous thoughts as Lena grabbed her by the feet and dragged an unwilling Kuki away from her cover cacoon.

"Time to get up!" Lena intoned, laughing like the child Kuki was supposed to be. _Had been._

Kuki yawned, "What time is it?"

"5:30." She answered like it was no big deal.

"5:30!" Kuki screeched, looking out the window at the still dark sky. "Normal people sleep at this hour!"

"Not when they don't wanna be late for work...Especially on their first day." She looked at Kuki, who smiled sheepishly.

"Oh yeah." She whispered under her breath.

"Here!" Lena handed her a pile of clothes.

"What's this?" She accepted the clothes and looked up at Lena for an answer.

"Your work clothes. Meet me down stairs in twenty minutes." With that she walked out of the room.

Kuki looked at herself in the mirror. She'd never worn anything other than her long green sweatshirt and black jeans. Sometimes she had dragged a white dress from the bottom of her closet, or even a nurses outfit _that one time._ It felt a bit weird, though, to wear much of anything else.

Kuki looked at herself again after changing. She was wearing a long violet shirt underneath a white apron along with a white shirt that just went below her knees. It was actually rather complimentary to her features.

The raven haired girl picked up a dirty white hat with the letters GD overlapping in red. Kuki smiled at it. The hat reminded her of one of her friends...

Numbuh 5 had always worn a red cap. The once spunky girl had always thought it looked cool on her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about the circumstances that brought her to this particular moment. She and Numbuh 5 used to be the best of friends. They had to be, being the only girls in a squad full of unruly boys. But now Numbah 5 hated her... along with the boys...

Kuki put on the hat and smiled, wiping away the tears before they could fall.

She found Lena sitting in a chair at the kitchen table. She only looked up from her book when she heard Kuki walking down the steps.

"You look nice, Kayonie!" Kuki didn't respond. "Kayonie?" She could have smacked her own stupidity.

No wonder everyone else had been so frustrated with her!

"Oh! Thanks!"

Lena stood up wearing almost the exact same thing as the pre-teen. "Time to go!" She announced cheerfully, grabbing a light jacket from the coat hanger.

Kuki smiled, finding the action much easier than before she had gone to sleep. Strangely, she was actually excited about going to work... Even if she'd fought against the very idea of it for many years.

Lena stopped and stared at Kuki's head for a second. "I see you found my hat."

Kuki took it off her head. "Here," she said handing it over.

"No... It _was_ mine when I was younger. You can keep it, if you like!"

Th asian girl smiled happily and put the cap back on. "Thank you! One of my friends used to wear a red one all the time!"

Lena's smile just grew, "You're welcome, Kayonie!"

"Can I take your order?" Kuki asked cheerfully. She was starting to get the hang of the whole waitressing thing. As the couple ordered, Kuki wrote down their request in her note pad and then finally skirted off to fulfill it.

She walked into the kitchen and placed down the orders on a brass table. The cook picked up the notes and began mumbling like the grouch she had come to understand him to be. Kuki turned around and grabbed two large cups filling one with Sprite and the other with Coke. She grabbed two straws and placed it on a black tray. She walked back out of the kitchen and put down the drinks on the table.

"Your food will be with you shortly," she assured them. She was really enjoying it. Kuki wasn't sure why anyone would hate working!

She went back into the kitchen. Kuki picked up the tray of food that was on the table where she had placed the order earlier. She took it back out and put it down on the table, "There you go!"

Again she went into the kitchen and retrieved more food this time taking it back to the couple, "I hope you enjoy!"

That's how the entire day went on. She found it enjoyable somehow. She was sad when she looked out the window to find the sun going down and a sign that read 'open' on the door. That meant the opposite side-the one for customers-read 'closed.'

"Time to go!" Lena told her after everyone left. Kuki gave her a lopsided grin, which caught the shapely Lena's attention.

"I liked working," she whispered.

"Don't worry, there's always tomorrow!" Kuki brightened up again. "I never knew anyone quite like you, Kayonie!"

"What do you mean?"

"Not many people want to work. Especially kids!"

Kuki looked down again. "Yeah, I know."

"What's wrong?"

"My friends hate working! Even the thought of it would make them sick. Somehow I feel like I betrayed them. They were always so against it... and I was, too," she admitted the last part as quietly as possible, though Lena could still hear her.

"I wouldn't blame you Kayonie! And you're not betraying anyone. They already... Hey! Let's go back home and have a good dinner! What do you say?"

Kuki found herself mouthing the word the whole walk back to Lena's. _Home_.

She sat down on the couch and stared at the blank screen in front of her.

"Do you wanna watch TV?" Lena asked holding up the remote. Kuki shook her head timidly. "_Now_ what's wrong?" Lena threw herself head first over the couch. Kuki half smiled at her assault on the upholstery.

"Usually me and my friends would watched TV at this time... I wonder if that's exactly what they're doing. This may sound selfish but... I hope they aren't. I kind of hope they're missing me... But I know they're not."

Lena helped herself up. She starred at Kuki for a few minutes and then smiled. "Kayonie.. You're a great kid. I'm sure your friends miss you a whole lot!"

"Really!" Kuki looked at her hopefully.

Lena gulped visibly, "Yeah."

Kuki got up and gave Lena a big hug. "You're so nice to me! How can I ever repay you!"

"First of all you can let me breath..." Lena said gasping for breath. Kuki let go and giggled.

"Sorry..."

"Now," she said gently, sitting on the couch and padding a spot for Kuki to sit beside her, "tell me about these old friends of yours."

Kuki looked at her green sweater. She was a bit hesitant about the request. "Well... There's four of them... Nigel Uno was sort of our leader. A real party pooper if you ask me." She noticed Lena smile at this and decided to continue, "He was bossy sometimes and nice others. That's pretty much it. Then there's Hoagie Gilligan, who has a love of airplanes and flying. But he's not the most graceful either." Kuki giggled, thinking of the time he built a flying machine so he could fly around with a tiny horse fly. She'd also wanted to play with it, though.

"And then there's Abby Lincoln. She was the coolest! Really level, too. She had a love for music and I think maybe a love for Nigel..." Kuki almost cracked up thinking about her ex-friend's possible crush. "I miss them..." She admitted, her features suddenly turning grim.

"So who's Wallabee?" Lena asked raising an amused eyebrow.

"How did you know about him?" She almost jumped into the ceiling.

"I found out a very interesting fact about you last night. Did you have any idea that you talk in your sleep?"

"Oh..." Kuki blushed.

"You were saying his name..." Lena detailed for Kuki's embarrassment. "Was he your boyfriend?"

Kuki turned four shades darker. "NO! NO! NO! NO! He was a really close friend, though... He was always nice to me. And he always made sure I was O.K. He had a bad temper sometimes and liked to fight. Besides I'm too young to have a boyfriend..." She hid the disappointment in her voice.

She took a glimpse at the clock. "10:00 already?"

Lena yawned. "I don't know about you, but I'm gonna call it a day. See ya bright and early!" And with that Lena got up and left the room.

Kuki felt the yawn to be contagious. She blinked a few times. It was beginning to get harder to see now. She stood up from the green sofa and stretched. The room that surrounded her was so different from the den back at the tree house. She still missed the old days so much.

She turned off the lights and went to her room. There was no use trying not to think about those precious days. Back when she had friends whom had cared about her. Or had they? She yawned loudly and laid down in her bed facing the plain white ceiling and committing each crack to memory just in case her time there happened to be short.

So many thoughts went through her mind and each made her want time to stop time and rewind. She turned on her stomach and groaned. Why did she have to over hear their conversation anyway?

_But Numbuh 4 said nothing..._ She tried convincing herself one last time, while she still stood on solid ground.

**_I've already told you... He was just as much apart of it as the others. He could possibly hate you the most!_** Her mind spat out at her.

_Why aren't you ever on my side? I thought you were supposed to agree with me._

**_ Oh...? But I am on your side Kuki, dear, I just want you to always know the truth..._**

Kuki thought for a minute. She could still hear her friend's voices murmuring in the back of her head. She gulped away tears that were already starting to form under her eyes.

_The truth isn't always so pleasant..._

For Kuki, unfortunately, the conclusion had been drawn under most unfortunate circumstances. _  
_


	5. Pain, Tears, And Torment

Pain, Tears, and Torment

She sighed as she checked the date on the calendar. **March 16**-written in bold red letters. Tears brimmed her eyes. Why did it still pain her when she thought about almost one year ago...?

A year. It had almost been an entire year. Days, and weeks, and months had all gone by so quickly. Tomorrow would be the anniversary of when life had begun to torment her. Or had it begun way before that?

Lena looked up at her with sympathy, "Is something wrong, Kayonie?"

Kuki looked over at her. A fake smile creeping along her face. "Nothing! Nothing's wrong at all. I'm just a bit tired s'all."

Lena just nodded but didn't return the smile. She somehow knew there was something wrong with the other's. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" Kuki took a seat down at the table and stared at the beautiful marblewood. Lena let out a heaping breath of air and went back to whatever she had been doing before. Kuki kept starring at the distorted reflection the light casted on the table.

Lena looked at the calendar over her shoulder. "You've been quiet lately. Does it have anything to do with tomorrow?"

It had never failed to amaze Kuki that Lena knew exactly what was on her mind at all times. "Maybe..." Her voice came out high-pitched giving her away. Lena had become her best friend. She seemed to always be there for her; she made sure Kuki was happy. Truth behold, the pre-teen hadn't been 100% happy since everything had happened. And she made sure she and Lena never became too close. Not like she had been with the others.

She looked at Lena who was now smiling._ I don't wanna hurt you. Not like everyone else. I just want everyone happy._

_** Then maybe it would be for the best if you left.**_

_Maybe_, her mind agreed with the awful voice. _Everyone I get close to..._ She gulped and allowed a single tear to fall down her cheek, but wiped it away aggressively

**_ Gets hurt? Killed? Is that what you were trying to say? Everyone you get close to gets hurt._**

_No!_

**_It's true little Kuki. Everyone you've loved left you... Everyone died. Betrayed you. And they all got hurt because of you. Do you not see?_**

_Yes..._

_**Yes you see? Or yes you do not?**_

_You get joy out of tormenting me, huh?_ The voice never answered her back. Kuki took its silence as a yes.

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Many people around her were beginning to get concerned. She seemed spaced out lately and barely talked or listened to anyone. The only people she even spoke with were the customers and Lena.

No one, though, was as concerned for her than him. His chestnut brown eyes almost never left her. She seemed to be in so much pain since the beginning of the month. Her usual gleam of life was lost like it had never existed.

He watched her get up from her seat. His eyes followed as she walked towards the door and as her hands hovered over it he couldn't help himself.

"Kayonie!" He yelled walking over to her.

"Yes, Brian?" She replied; her voice was lifeless. She pulled her hands away from the door and let them rest at her side.

"W-where are you going?" Even a simple question like that he found hard to say without a stutter around this goddess. She had changed so much since he first met her. Her raven black hair was always tucked neatly under her cap. She was a bit taller than what she had been, but not by much. Her skin was less pale since then, now taking a rather nice peach tone. And there was always a gleam in her eyes. Though not today. Ever since he saw her that day, almost a year ago, he knew that he loved her.

"Break," she answered simply inching to open the door.

"Oh."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. I mean no! I mean..." She looked at him questionably as he tried to form the words. "Why is that you be not happy?"

Kuki raised a questioning eyebrow, "What?"

He took a deep breath. "Why is it that you've been acting so depressed?"

"That doesn't sound very hard to say." Kuki smirked in his direction but was only met with a look of anticipation. " Nothing! O.K! Nothing is wrong. Really! It's not a big deal!" She lied and looked at floor to hide her expression. There was no way her fake smile would get her out of this one.

"'Nothing' sure does seem to be a big deal to me."

"IT'S NOTHING!" She growled.

"Kayonie, I can tell that there is something wrong. You should talk to someone about it. It's not healthy to keep in your feelings. Even if 'nothing' may not be a big deal you should still tell someone, maybe Lena...Or me?" The last part sounded too hopeful, even to his own ears.

"No. I'm wrong. You're right... Nothing is a big deal." Her voice was only but a whisper though he could still hear it.

"You just said-"

"Nothing's always been a big deal to me." She laid her head against the glass door.

"So what's got you so depressed?"

Kuki looked up at him, pain reflecting in her glossy eyes. "I'll never see him again." And with that Kuki walked away. Something she did so many times from all her problems.

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It wasn't unusual that she chose to walk through the park today with no destination in mind. It wasn't that she wanted to avoid the crowded streets. It was the fact that she enjoyed the quietness and time she had to herself.

Taking a seat on a bench she sighed and compressed the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

Somehow it still hurt. All the memories of a year ago. And the weird thing was, she regretted it. Regretted walking out of that treehouse for good. But for some reason that wasn't her biggest regret.

Her regret was that she left someone behind. Maybe it was that unexplainable feelings that she got when she was around him, or just thinking of him. Or it could have been that he was the one she'd run to when she was sad and needed to talk. There had been many a nights where he'd stay up with her until she finally fell asleep. He was always closest to her. And strangely, unlike all the others she had ever been that close to, nothing bad happened to him.

He hadn't said a word about her. He'd been in the room with them while they all were 'discussing' her... And if he had cared for her the same way, then wouldn't he of spoken up and stopped them? He could have stopped them from saying all those horrible things!

Kuki was beginning to agree with that voice in her head. Maybe it had been telling her the truth all along. She just never listened.

Kuki felt the small drops of water fall swiftly down her cheek. It was all becoming crystal clear now. He had probably been sick. But... She still couldn't stop that strange feeling...

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She dodged the people who were in her way. Kuki edged by everyone and everything she could like an obstacle course. The raven haired preteen inhaled the cold air. Truly, spring was just around the corner yet the air still held that numbing cold.

Kuki was beginning to sense her left shoe wobbling and fought with all her might to keep her balance while still running. She was late getting back as it was.

It was never a picnic when Lena was angry. In fact Kuki had only seen her mad twice... And neither time was pretty.

The ex-Kids Next Door member closed her eyes for a few minutes to stop them from stinging against the crisp winter air. Though the second she closed her eyes Kuki ran into someone. And as she fell she took notice that she pulled him or her down as well, her troublesome sneaker flying through the air.

She groaned at the searing pain in her back and head. Trying her hardest, Kuki opened her eyes slowly, but found her vision was too blurry. Right above her though Kuki could just make out two figures hovering. One looked to be female, the other male.

Kuki helped herself up and rubbed her neck. She readjusted her hat so that it shaded her eyes, feeling a foreign glint of shyness. Finally she glanced back up noting that she had been correct about their genders.

The male stared at her through slanted black shades. His eyes stared at her intensely, as if she were from another world. He was frowning upon her with a look that meant he didn't trust her one bit. The female, though, had an opposite look. Her eyes were soft, full of wonder. Her long black hair was pulled into a braid that ended in between her back. Upon her head lay a plain red cap.

"You O.K.?" She asked. Her voice was kind and welcoming.

Kuki winced, "I'll live..."

_**Too bad.**_ Kuki growled at that.

"Something wrong?" Asked a different voice. She was really getting frustrated with question.

"Nuthin'" Kuki replied keeping the annoyance out of her voice, reverting to her old childish way of responding. Her eyes landed on another boy. He was sort of round and wore a hat similar to the one's pilot captains wear. It was alertingly familiar.

"What was that?" A blonde asked. He'd been sitting up for a few minutes but she had just noticed him. His hair almost covered his hassle eyes. He looked at the pre-teen in a bit of a daze.

"I'm sorry... I guess I wasn't paying much attention." She felt her heart beat a bit faster. Maybe it was because he looked so much like him...

"It's alright." There was a glare from the blonde as the dark-skinned girl said this. She returned the glare without fear, "Ain't that right, Numbuh 4?"

"Yeah, yeah." The boy said, this time Kuki registered an Australian accent.

_Oh no!_

She pulled her cap down tighter. It finally sunk in why they all they looked so familiar. It was because they were familiar... They were her so-called 'friends.'

"I'm s-still really sorry. I was in a hurry to get back to work and..." She was cut off as the goggled one raised an eyebrow.

"You work? But you're only a kid..." He said like it was the most awfulest thing on the planet (which he believed so).

"I know! But it so fun!" She exclaimed cheerfully. Almost forgetting she was around people who hated her.

The one she had recognized to be Numbuh 4 looked her over strangely. "What have they done to you?"

"Nothing. My boss is my friend and she takes real good care of me." Kuki couldn't explain the odd bubble of protectiveness that formed around the Lena subject. The older female _had _been a decent friend all this time, so it was only right Kuki felt the need to jump to her defense. Especially when the subject was not there to defend herself.

"Numbuh 5 don't know. Work is hard and boring."

"OOOOH! OOOHHH! And you never get to have any fun!" Numbuh 2, the goggled one, screamed while waving his hands in the air.

"Maybe that's so. But how can you trust adults?" Numbuh 1 asked. His glasses gleamed in the sun, sending a quick terror down Kuki's spine. He had always been the smart one. _What if he guessed?_

"Lena's my friend." Kuki glared at them significantly. "_She_ wouldn't do anything to hurt me."

Numbuh 4, who had been the most quiet during the whole exchange let out a sarcastic giggle. "Keep thinkin' that now. Someday she's gonna leave ya." It struck her how odd his silence happened to be. Numbuh 4 had been so well known for his anger, but he seemed... docile.

His words sunk in... "I know. And some betray you. I gotta go now." She took one more glance at Numbuh 4. "Can I have my shoe, please?"

He looked up at her and picked up the shoe, which had fallen on his head earlier. "Take it." She did.

"Bye." She whispered. It seemed only that she was just talking to him even though she said it to all of them.

Numbuh 5, taking it the wrong way, smiled at Numbuh 4. "Numbuh 5 thinks someone's a flirt!" Numbuh 4 glared at her but gave no other response. She sighed, "Come on. Can't ya take a joke?"

"Doesn't seem like it, huh?" He responded coldly.

All Numbuh 5 could do was shrug and smile with sympathy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I'm sorry Lena." Kuki said for the hundredth time that day.

"Kayonie I already said it was O.K. Go back to work."

Kuki sighed. Lena wasn't as mad as she thought she'd be. Actually she wasn't mad at all.

After taking a couple of orders, Kuki sat down, waiting for new customers. Or at least for someone to leave so she'd have something to do.

Brian kept watching her for the remainder of the day. She knew he was just making sure she was all right, but it was annoying Kuki to death.

She felt guilty about how she had treated him before, though. She had yelled all because he was concerned for her.

Kuki still couldn't believe she'd bumped into the others. It was so unexpected, to her. Seeing them after a year...

And Numbuh 4. He was almost as she remembered him. Almost. He'd gotten so much taller. And those eyes of his... A year ago she almost never saw them. But he always had such pretty eyes.

"Kayonie!" Lena's voice shrieked. Kuki turned around to see Lena running towards her.

"Yeah?"

Lena took a few deep breaths before speaking. "My mother... She had... A heart attack... I need to go see her... I got to get to the airport."

Kuki looked at her and then the floor. "Go now then. I'll close up."

The full figured woman smiled thankfully, grabbing her hands in gratitude and praising the others kindness."Thank you so much, Kayonie! You don't know how hard it is to think you might lose your mother!"

She did. The beginning of the month had marked the day she had lost her mother to an accident. She'd lost more that day- a sister, and a little brother she would never know. But these weren't concerns for Lena at this moment.

Half way to the door, the green eyed woman turned back. She tugged on one of Kuki's hands and placed a cold metal object on the rough pads there. A key. To the house. "I thought it was time we make this permanent, Kuki... I've got some papers at home and-"

Kuki smiled, "Go now!"

Lena returned the smile and ran out the door in a flash. Kuki just watched as she went, wondering how she could repay Lena for everything when she came home. She owed her so much.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kuki didn't feel like turning on the lights or changing her clothes. It had been such a long day! She picked up the remote and just allowed herself to fall on the couch.

The Japanese girl clicked one of the buttons and the T.V. flickered on. She flipped through a few channels first-all were so boring. Each was a news channel. They were talking about some pile up on the highway.

A few taps were heard from outside. She turned to the window, which stopped her from changing the channel. She watched the rain begin to fall slowly and then more rapidly.

"Here's a list of the deceased!" The reporter was announcing. His voice made Kuki turn away from the rain that she'd been so fascinated with. He started reading down a long line of names.

Kuki glanced momentarily towards the window. _No wonder why the sky is crying. So many people were lost today. I feel sorry for their families..._

The man on the television kept listing unfamiliar names. Finally he stopped, "We now have a full idea of what started the crash. It was believed to be this woman," the camera did a close up on the picture.

Kuki wasn't paying attention again. She was watching the rain falling outside. It was kind of her little obsession. She loved it.

Soon she turned back and the shot was already zooming back out. The man looked at it and then turned back towards the camera. "It was reported that this young lady was on her way to see her mother, who recently had a heart attack, when a truck slammed in behind her."

Kuki thought about this for a second. It must have been a coincidence that the two, Lena and this lady, had similar reasona... Right?

"She worked in the local diner on Port Avenue. We have been informed that the woman's name was Lena Reseki."

Kuki couldn't believe it as the picture showed up again. It was Lena!

_No!_ Her mind yelled, agonized.

She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. It just wasn't happening.

**_See Kuki. Everyone gets hurt because of you._**

She sat in shock. The voice seemed to be right all the time. First her father had left, never to be heard from again. Then her mother... Now Lena was gone thanks to her. Everything was her fault! The tears fell as hard and as fast as the rain.

Pain! There was so much pain and it was ripping at her!

Kuki didn't know where she was going. All too familiar sights whizzed past her.

She felt like she'd been running for hours on end. Her legs were aching. She looked up at the massive structure that lay before her. She didn't quite understand why she was there. It wasn't making sense. Not that anything was making sense today.

It didn't matter. Just earlier Kuki had said Lena wouldn't have done anything to hurt her. But she _did_. She left Kuki all alone. But Kuki couldn't blame her. No! It was her fault. She hurt Lena just like everyone else!

**_You would have been better off dead!_** The voice hissed angrily.

The rain fell harder now. Kuki didn't reply to the voice. It was right.

And all Kuki remembered was falling on the cold wet grass and everything went completely black.


	6. Hopeless

A/N: As I say all the time and I always mean: THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!!! I like reviews, their so nice! And of course there will be some 1/5 thrown in various places, maybe much more than that, hehehe. I also found out I was accidentally blocking anonymous reviews. Sry 'bout that! And lastly, no, the love triangle is not 3/4/brian. I don't really care about that guy. I made him up in one sec. It was meant to fool you! LOL! The real love triangle is between... Well, you'll find out in ltr chapters. Am I evil or what?!  
  
I updated! So no one has ta kill me now, especially with sporks ::Cringes:: K?  
  
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CH.6- Hopeless  
Her eyes opened slowly. Kuki yawned and stretched her arms. She rubbed her eyes before throwing off the blankets that were covering her. Blankets?! Wait?! Didn't she faint outside last night? A smile appeared on her face as she thought of one of the possibilities.  
  
Perhaps last night was all a dream. Lena wasn't dead! No she was down stairs reading, or writing, or doing whatever it was she enjoyed before going to work.  
  
Yes! Last night was all a dream... Just a dream! Though it had felt so real!  
  
Kuki shrugged that thought off. It was a horrible nightmare. She'd fallen asleep on the sofa. Yeah, that was it... She didn't stop to think any longer. Kuki dashed down, and ran out the metal door, which opened by itself. But what she failed to notice in her excitement was the ladder which she used to get down, and the large room that surely wasn't the one that Lena had allowed her to use...  
  
Kuki stopped halfway out of the doorway. The room that greeted her was not the kitchen or the hallway. It was a large room, with a T.V. monitor, a small pit in the center, and a podium sort of thing in front of it.  
  
Numbah 3 shared confused looks with the other four occupants of the room. She gulped as the door shut behind her and the surroundings began to sink in. Last night wasn't a nightmare. It was all reality. And where she had ended up wasn't all in her head.  
  
Numbah 5 smiled. "Hey look, Numbuh 4, its your friend from yesterday!"  
  
His only reaction was crossing his arms over his chest. Numbah 5 just sighed. It was no fun teasing him anymore.  
  
There was an awkward silence for the longest time until Numbah 1 cleared his throat. "I see that you're up." He said stating the obvious. "Why exactly were unconscious outside at that hour of the night?" He questioned, getting to the point right away.  
  
Numbah 3 pulled tight on her cap. "I dunno..." She lied. Trying to hide her face from them.  
  
"What Numbuh 5 wants to knows is why did you come here? Why didn't you go back to your place?"  
  
"That's where I was running from... And I don't exactly have a place." She admitted finding it hard to lie to them even if she was still angry with them. In fact lying was the very thing she hated the most. She had lied to Lena...And she had been the most closet person to Kuki for a year and never even knew her real name  
  
"You don't have a place?" Numbah 2 piped up.  
  
Numbah 3 looked down. "well, you see... I ran away..." Numbah 4 looked down at the floor when she said this. His eye gave that distant, far away look. "... from my first place when I over-heard my 'friends' talking about wanting to get rid of me anyway." She stopped for a second. "And I had no where to go since my parents... Weren't around. But later I ran into Lena. She offered me a job and place to stay. But, just last night... Something bad happened to her..." Kuki held back the tears that threatened to fall at any minute.  
  
*And that something was all your fault!* That same voice hissed. But this time Kuki completely ignored.  
  
"I'll go now." Kuki whispered turning on her heel already to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Kuki stopped and turned, cursing under her breath. She really just wanted to go as soon as she could. She didn't want to be around them any longer. She left to get away for good, and thats what she was gonna do, again. But most of all she didn't want to be around him... It was hard enough just seeing him yesterday. It was hard walking away a year ago.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Numbah 1 cleared his throat. "If you have no where to go, that is, you could always stay here." He suggested.  
  
Kuki looked at the other two's pleasant faces but was met with the back of Numbah 4's head.  
  
"I couldn't possibly..." Her sentence trailed off as a thought came to mind. 'They don't know its you. Play along with it. Why don't you see how much they've suffered without you?'  
  
*Not much, probably.* The other voice replied.  
  
'It's worth a chance.' The one reasoned.  
  
Kuki sighed as she finally came to her decision. "I guess." She whispered.  
  
Numbah 5 smiled at her. "Now Numbuh 5 ain't the only girl!" she said almost like a cheer. Numbah 2 gave her a strange look, Numbah 1 just shrugged, and Numbah 4 stayed lost in his thoughts.  
  
Kuki raised an eyebrow at the braided hair girl.  
  
Numbah 1, yet again, cleared his throat so that all attention or at least all present-day focus was on him once more. "What I'm more concerned about at the moment is, do have any fighting experience?"  
  
Numbah 3 nodded without any hesitation. Numbah 1 smiled. "Then welcome to the Kids Next Door!" He said proudly.  
  
Kuki took a step back. How could he just accept a member out of a hat like that. She sighed. It was too late now. She might as well play along with it. It would probably come in handy being a 'new' member. She'd be able to find out exactly how much they suffered through the year. She opened her mouth to speak but someone beat her to it.  
  
"What?!" Numbah 4 yelled loudly. There was a major hint of rage in his tone. "How could you do that!?"  
  
"We need all the help we can get Numbuh 4." Numbah 1 replied. The Australian boy just slouched down finally defeated. Numbah 5 placed a hand on his shoulder as he muttered something no one heard or understood. Numbah 5 shared a small glance with Numbah 1.  
  
Numbah 3 stood puzzled at this little exchange. The whole thing was confusing and it made her head hurt trying to figure it out. "What's a 'Kids Next Door?'" She asked, innocently. Just like the name was new to her.  
  
"We fight for kids rights all over the world!" Numbah 2 screamed throwing his arms up.  
  
"Numbuh 2 calm down! You're scarring the poor girl." Numbah 5 said coolly. Numbah 1 threw her a thanking smile and she looked at the very interesting floor giving a small nod.  
  
"Why do you keep calling yourself by numbers?" Kuki asked tilting her head to one side.  
  
"Their code names." Numbah 2 explained simply.  
  
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Numbuh 1, leader of the Kids Next Door!"  
  
"I'm Numbah 2, pilot and technical person... Thing."  
  
"Numbuh 5, spy."  
  
Suddenly there was a long pause as every eye fell on Numbah 4. He mumbled something, receiving a kick from Numbah 5. "Numbuh 4..." Was the only reply as the rest of the sentence was muttered. Numbah 5 shook her head feeling... Knowing it was hopeless to get anything more out of him.  
  
Numbah 3 looked around the room expecting to see some stranger who would claim to be the NEW Numbah 3. She pictured some flashy, tall, flirty girl who would confess to be Numbah 4 girlfriend or something. The very thought made her blood boil. Kuki shook her head quickly. 'No! You hate them! You hate them! You HATE him!' She tried convincing herself. (Tried being the keyword here;).)  
  
"Where's Numbuh 3?"  
  
"What?" Numbah 2 asked raising an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Well...I..." There was a short pause. 'Dang! Why did I have to yell that out?!' She mentally kicked herself. "Well, there's Numbuh 1,2,4,and 5. I was just wondering if there was supposed to be a Numbuh 3 here or suttin'" She replied in a rush. She broke out into a fit of nervous giggles.  
  
Before anyone responded Kuki noticed Numbah 4 gave her a look that made her thankful looks couldn't kill. He stood up from his seat in the pit. Everyone watched as he walked by Kuki and walked through a giant door, which held an enormous four written in red paint.  
  
"Don't mind him." Numbah 5 whispered. "Its just the way he's been lately." She closed her eyes. 'Or try a year...' Her mind whimpered. She missed the way her friend used to be. She missed it a lot. She missed the way things used to be. But it all shattered the day that...  
  
"Why?" Kuki asked absentmindedly. Her gaze was still on the giant piece of metal.  
  
"Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter at the moment!" Numbah 5 put on a fraud smile. She too stood up. "About your question before. It would seem that you are our new Numbuh 3." She looked up at Numbah 1 who just nodded in her direction. "Come on. I'll show ya's to your room."  
  
Kuki nodded and followed the other girl. As Numbah 5 looked up at the huge four painted on the door she sighed. She looked over at Kuki. 'It does matter.'  
  
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Numbah 3 looked around the room. Everything was in the exact location she remembered. Nothing she to be misplaced or missing for that matter. It was all there.  
  
Numbah 5 smirked. "So how do you's like it?"  
  
"Very much." Kuki starred at her room. Question like 'why didn't they change it?' raced through her mind. "Is this how the old Numbuh 3 kept her room?"  
  
"Yeah it is. Exactly the way she kept it."  
  
"Why didn't you change it?"  
  
"Numbuh 5 wouldn't of felt right."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"You said that when Numbuh 4 walked out of the room. Why doesn't anything matter?"  
  
"I guess, right now that it doesn't." Numbah 5 shrugged.  
  
"What happen to the first Numbuh 3?" Kuki asked turning around suddenly. She decided if Numbah 5 was around she might as well be her first victim.  
  
Numbah 5 didn't answer right away. She took a seat on the bed, which resembled a teddy bear. Kuki sat down next to her. "A year ago she ran away. We never saw of or heard from her again. We don't know why either..."  
  
'You should!' Kuki felt like screaming out at her. But instead she kept her cool. "Do you miss her?"  
  
Numbah 5 opened her mouth for a split second. She was about to respond to this but Numbah 1's voice could be heard from somewhere else. Quickly Numbah 5 jumped.  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks she should go before he gets really angry!" Numbah 5 gave her a wide and smile and was halfway out of the room before stopping. "Numbuh 5 was wondering... What's your name?"  
  
Kuki took a deep breath. "Kayonie." She replied.  
  
Abigail nodded. "And I'm Abby!" She gave Kuki another smile before finally leaving.  
  
"That was hopeless." She said to herself and leaned back on her bed.  
  
*Your hopeless to think that they even want you back.*  
  
'Just shut up!'  
  
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She lost track of time just thinking. Dinner was no help as she tried desperately to get something so much as a 'We miss her very much!' out of them. And the second she had asked: 'What happened to Numbuh 3?' Numbah 4 disappeared from the table all together. And nobody answered the question.  
  
But what she found to be more of a hopeless cause was trying to go to sleep that night. She sighed as she yet again turned in her bed. Kuki sat up and looked around. And then something hit her like a ton of bricks. Did she wake up in Numbah 4's room?! She tried to shake the blush that crept onto her face off.  
  
She got out of bed. She needed to get a drink of water anyway.  
  
It was dark and quiet in the treehouse and it made chills run up and down Kuki's back. The kitchen, though, she found to be the least scariest of all. Kuki grabbed a glass cup from the wood cabinet and turned on the faucet. The water felt good on her parched throat. She gave a sigh of relief and placed the glass in the sink.  
  
As silently as she could Kuki crept out of the kitchen, finding herself in the lounge. (I think that's what it is or maybe its their living room?) "What are you doing here?" A male voice asked.  
  
Kuki peered through the darkness to see someone sitting by the window. She sighed and allowed her body to relax for a second. "Is that you Numbuh 4?" She asked walking towards him.  
  
He didn't reply but Kuki could see him clearly now. She smiled and sat down next to. He never seemed to acknowledge her presence.  
  
"I needed a drink of water." She replied to question before. "What are you doing up?" Yet again there was no answer. His eyes were focused up at the dark black sky. "Are you thinking?" She asked, trying yet again to get through to him. All tries were useless.  
  
Kuki looked out at the sky too. It was a peaceful night. The stars were shining brightly. The moon was completely round and a white aura seemed to glow around it. Closing her eyes she smiled leaning against the pain.  
  
"I like nights when its peaceful. Though for some reason I like it better when it rains..." She stopped mid-sentence. "Maybe because I'm so used to it." She knew he wasn't gonna say anything but she wanted... Needed to know something. "Why are you so cold?"  
  
There was silence. That was all. Not even the crickets were playing were the nightly song. "I see." She whispered frowning. Kuki retreated to her room for the night and Wallabee watched her leave. Finally he looked back at the moon.  
  
The answer was simple: She was never coming back. And neither was he. He'd rather live in the past... Because that's where she was...  
  
Kuki laid down and finally felt able to sleep...  
  
'He's not the boy I remember...' She thought.  
~~~~`````Flashback`````~~~~  
  
It was that same nightmare that she had almost every night. 10-year old Kuki woke up screaming. She panted for breath as beads of cold sweat fell down her face.  
  
She hugged her knees as tight as she could.  
  
The door opened and a small blonde dashed in. He stopped in a fighting stance until he realized there was no danger. "What's da matter?" He asked looking at the poor Japanese girl.  
  
He looked at her features and sighed. Wallabee walked over to her, putting his arm around her neck. "Is was that nightmare again, huh?"  
  
She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder trying not to cry. "Its o.k." He whispered to her soothingly. She shook her head no. "Come on Numbuh 3. You gotta stop blamin' yourself for that... Its not your fault now and it neva will be."  
  
She glanced up at him. He smiled. "But..."  
  
"No," He said firmly. "You had nothing to do with your fathers death."  
  
"You weren't there." She whimpered.  
  
"It doesn't matter Kuki... I know you. You would never hurt anyone. Especially not intentionally."  
  
She turned away from him stubbornly. "I could of prevented it all, though..."  
  
He made it so that she was looking directly at him. "There you go again. Stop telling yourself that. None of it was your fault at all! But every time you give into those voices in your head. Promise me Something..." He stopped so that some of it sunk in. She nodded for him to continue. "Promise me you'll stop listening to those voices. They'll leave if you ignore them, believe me... And stop blamin yourself! You did nothing wrong! It wasn't you who caused your father's, its just the way fate works sometimes.."  
  
"You don't understand how it is to loose someone close to you..."  
  
He frowned. He didn't know how it felt to loose someone. Yes, that was true. But if it felt like someone was slowly ripping at his heart even when he just thought of loosing her, he could imagine much worse if she actually left for good.  
  
"I have an idea." He admitted. And then he smiled. "You forgot to promise me."  
  
She sighed. "Fine. I promise." Behind her back Kuki crossed her fingers.  
  
"I mean for real."  
  
She starred him straight in the eyes. "I promise." She said in a defeated tone.  
  
"Good." He whispered getting up from the bed. She grabbed his sleeve.  
  
"I'm scared." She confessed. "Could you wait until I fall asleep." She looked at him so innocently.  
  
Wallabee choked. Saying no to her was the hardest thing he could ever do. Wallabee sat back down. "Sure..." He looked down to hide his redden face.  
  
Kuki smiled and lay back down. She rested her head on his stomach and soon fell asleep.  
  
Wallabee smiled down at the young girl and absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair. He stayed up watching her until the first rays of sun shined in through the window.  
~~~~~`````End Flashback`````~~~~~  
  
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Demon: AH HA! Yet again finished another chapter! YAY! And one day less than a week!  
  
Angel: ::stares and cringes::  
  
Demon: NE way! I would like to thank all of u for putting up w/ my slow updating. I take such a long time and my stories r still awful. But u all r so nice! I'm sorry that this ch. Didn't have any 1/5 in it really ::groans:: But don't wry I'll put it in somewheres in the next Ch.! And there mayb a lot of it! YAY!  
  
1: I hate you!  
  
Demon: 'Course ya do. And here's a hint about the REAL love triangle since u all r so kind and patient:) : It is between the people u would least expect and it may be questionable if it really is a love triangle. HEHEHE. Also I heard a song on the radio... Hey that's a part in a song I wrote! But Newayz I heard a song called 'I'd Do Anything.' And it's by Simple Plan. When I listened to the lyrics it actually reminded me of this story. It was scary! Please r/r well u already read... So please review! Please::Grabs on to readers leg and begins begging::  
  
Angel+1: o....k 


	7. Lullaby's

A/N: Thanks every1 who reviewed! R/R and enjoy! While I begin playing some type of guessing game. I just don't get it... Also I'm sorry for any spelling. I'm usually good at it but sometimes I don't notice the mistakes. Sorry! Thanks for bringing it up Rainne!  
  
Disclaimer: I own absolutely... NOTHING... Tom Warbuton owns KND and I barely own da plot. But if I did own KND...  
  
4: Uh-oh!  
  
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Ch.7- Lullaby's  
Kuki pulled on the long green sweater. The sleeves, as she remembered, still went down passed her hands. She took off her cap for a second and shook her head rapidly. Her hair fell down to her waist. Gathering it all back up again she twisted it over her head and fit the cap back on, giving its regular shorthaired affect.  
  
Glancing at the cat clock on the wall she realized no one would be up anyway. It was 5:36 A.m. She sighed. She had only gotten about six hours of sleep... And lately that just wasn't enough to get her through the day.  
  
The sun wasn't even up, yet. The entire room was cascaded in black. It wasn't that she was too lazy to turn on the lights. It was just that she felt at this moment her world was like this. But it wasn't likely that she was the only one in the tree house feeling like this...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He didn't care what the other said. He wasn't even paying attention to their hollow concern. To him it was all an act.. Because no one in the darn tree house knew how he felt.  
  
Occasionally they would say words of sympathy. But to him they had no meaning.  
  
They tried telling him the truth. They said she was never coming back. But he never believed them.  
  
Could that be the reason he spent countless nights starring out at the sky? Was he waiting for her to come back? Was this all because a part of him was saying that if he moved on towards the future then she'd never be back? Was he afraid?  
  
Yes. He was. And he would admit it to. Wallabee Beatles was afraid. Afraid he'd never see her if he moved on.  
  
Though he somehow knew she'd come back... There was just something inside telling him this.  
  
But until that day came to pass... There would always being that missing void in his heart.  
  
All too familiar alarm bells broke out through the quiet hallways, waking him from any other thoughts. A year ago he'd be glad for another mission... But that was a year ago.  
  
He took his seat in the pit as the others filled in. And this new girl. This girl that was trying to take her place sat down on his right.  
  
'Never!' His mind screamed. 'She'd never take her place. No one can!'  
  
Nigel stood at his podium. He made sure everyone was there before starting. "Fellow Kids Next Door operatives. We have received news that someone is trying to steal a machine that... That..."  
  
"Spit it out all ready Numbuh 1!" Abigail demanded.  
  
"Someone is trying to steal a machine that will make...kids obey their...parents." He gulped after concluding.  
  
There were a few gasps that filled the room. (I don't even own the Machine's idea! Lol, sry! I know it seems sort of stupid... But you'd be like this 2 if u thought u had to obey ur parents.)  
  
"That's terrible!" Hoagie yelled through the silence.  
  
"Numbuh 5 dun like it one bit."  
  
Kuki looked at the other two and then finally her gaze went back up towards Nigel. "Who is it?"  
  
"We don't know at that moment. Numbuh 2..." Without him finishing Hoagie was all ready up and headed towards the cockpit to ready a flying machine. Nigel suddenly turned to Kuki, "Maybe you should stay here..."  
  
Kuki shook her head at him. "I'll go. I want to."  
  
"Are you sure. Numbuh 5 thinks it's a good idea if you stay here."  
  
Kuki rolled her eyes. Of course Abby was going to side with Nigel. It was a known and common fact that they agreed, most of the time. "I can handle it." She whispered reassuringly.  
  
Nigel sighed. "I guess you could.." There was a pause before he added in, "Numbuh 3."  
  
Numbah 4 made a noise that sounded very much like a growl. He didn't want them calling her Numbah 3. Because she wasn't! She never would be!  
  
Kuki looked up at him. "Something wrong?" She asked. He looked her straight in the eyes. They held confusion and sympathy for him. Numbah 4 turned away. Feelings like that were just hollow and empty thoughts.  
  
She sighed. Why was he acting this way? Maybe he missed her, maybe he actually missed. Maybe he was this way because he missed her!  
  
*No! He doesn't care about you! He never did! You're wasting your time here. None of them miss you or want you back. Trust me Kuki, dear, just forget about them. Forget about your feelings for him.*  
  
Kuki looked back over at him. This was the boy she had confided in, told all her secrets to, the same boy who would smile and try to make her happy when she was sad. This boy would do anything possible to help her forget her bad past. He'd always be there for her no matter what and most of the time with a smile on his face. Was this the exact same boy? 'If only it was possible to forget those feelings.'  
  
*You could leave now Kuki! They don't need you!*  
  
It was right though. She could leave now. As a matter of fact she could of left at anytime, but instead she followed the others into the plane.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The ride was quiet. He spent his time starring outside the window.  
  
Abby watched him from her seat. She looked over at Kuki who, too, was starring out into space. She smiled. This 'Kayonie' girl was wearing the same outfit just like the other Numbah 3 used to wear. Looking at her closely Abby could see all the similarities between the two. The only difference was 'Kayonie' had short hair with that white cap over her eyes and half of her face.  
  
Abigail stood up from her seat and took the one right next to Wallabee. She tapped him on his shoulder.  
  
No response.  
  
She tried it again.  
  
Still there was no response.  
  
Frustrated she kicked Wallabee as hard as she could. He didn't scream or yell like he probably would of, instead he just sent her a glare. She smirked and leaned closer to him. "Numbuh 4... Don't you think this new girl looks like the old Numbuh 3?"  
  
There was complete silence. Wallabee looked over at Kuki. She looked just like her. Almost. "No." He lied.  
  
"Awww. C'mon man! Numbuh5 knows you see it." She gave him a teasing smile. " Or you wouldn't be starring."  
  
Wallabee quickly turned away. A faint blush hinted on his face. He shook it off. "I wasn't starring."  
  
"Ya were."  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"First admit it."  
  
"Admit what?"  
  
"You see Kuki in Kayonie."  
  
Wallabee looked at Abby. "Who's Kayonie?" Abby gestured towards Kuki.  
  
"You see it..." Wallabee looked back over at Kuki. "Numbuh 5 thinks you like her too."  
  
He shook his head and looked back at the clouds.  
  
He wasn't falling for this girl! No! He hated her... But did he really know her? It didn't matter. He knew he would never have feelings for this girl. Because he was all ready in love. And it wasn't with this 'Kayonie' person.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The plane landed as quietly as it could outside of the tall building. Nigel ran out and the other four followed behind him.  
  
He stopped at the door and squatted down. Abby, Kuki, and Hoagie squatted down as well but Wallabee, not seeing the point to this, kept standing. Nigel took a deep breath. "O.k. Numbuh 2... You stay out here with the plane."  
  
"Ay' Ay' c- Hey wait a sec! Why do I have to stay out here? Why can't I go in?!" Hoagie exclaimed."  
  
Nigel sighed. "Because you're the only one who can pilot that thing." He answered gesturing towards the giant machine.  
  
Hoagie whined and walked off. He muttered stuff under his breath. Wallabee glared in his direction when he heard him say: "And Numbuh 4's useless without Numbuh 3"  
  
'Might as well be true!' He told himself with a sigh. Kuki looked up at him with amazement on her face at the fact he showed signs of living.  
  
"So what's the plan Leadah!?" Abby asked with a small smile on her face.  
  
Nigel turned away to hide his 'sunburned' face. "Well-uh..."  
  
"Just tell us your cruddy plan!" Wallabee demanded angrily not wanting to see another flirt session between the two. It made him sick... Or maybe just jealous?  
  
"Let's just go in there and stop them." Nigel suggested standing up.  
  
"Then what's with the squatting? You only do that when you got something good to say?!" Hoagie yelled. It was still obvious that he was holding a small grudge against his leader.  
  
Nigel shook his head as the other two got up. "Are you sure you wanna come?" He asked Kuki again.  
  
She nodded. "'Course I do!"  
  
Walking along the large and blackened hallways Nigel looked around for any signs of life he may find moving in the darkness.  
  
Abby banged on the flashlight with no luck.  
  
"Stupid thing!" She barked chucking it against the opposite wall. With a small click it went on. Kuki picked it up and looked at it.  
  
"Here you." She said handing it back to Abby. Abby gave it the death glare.  
  
"It hates me!" She exclaimed. "You take!" She placed it in Nigel's hands. He blinked at her.  
  
"You know, flashlights can't hate people."  
  
"Numbuh 5 don't care! All I's know is it won't work for me!"  
  
He was about to reply but a blinding light caused him to stop. He dropped the flashlight as he shielded his eyes.  
  
The four of them starred astounded at the five figures in front of them...  
  
"THE DELIGHTFUL CHILDREN!" They exclaimed all together. Abby looked back at Kuki who gave a nervous smile.  
  
"If it isn't the Kids Next door." The five frightening children replied calmly.  
  
"What are you doing here?!"  
  
"It doesn't matter about us... Your to late to stop us anyway."  
  
"Are you the ones trying to steal the ray?" Nigel asked in disbelief. He knew they were goodie-goodie-too-shoes but they were kids as well. Why would they want other kids to obey their parents?  
  
"Well, well, well. Your a lot smarter than we thought, Nigel."  
  
"But why?" Abby asked taking a step so that she was leveled with him.  
  
"You don't think we'd tell you, do you? Maybe your smart boyfriend can clue you in."  
  
Abby and Nigel looked at eachother. Their faces both went red like tomatoes and they slowly stepped away from eachother.  
  
"I don't get it..." Kuki whispered just as confused as Nigel.  
  
"And who's this." The creepy children from down the lane asked turning towards Kuki. "It seems you've gotten yourselves a new member. You must be the new Numbuh 3. Hmmm? You don't seem nearly as weak as the first..."  
  
Kuki looked down at this comment trying to hide tears.  
  
*Even they know your weak.*  
  
Wallabee growled. It was about enough he could take! How dare they insult Numbah 3!  
  
" Shuddap!" He yelled with extreme hatred.  
  
The delightful children looked at him with smirks across their faces. "And why should we?"  
  
Wallabee glared at them. They knew very well that they'd crossed the line when they'd said Kuki was weak. But they loved to make his blood boil. It was probably their favorite thing to do. Everyone knew Kuki was Wallabee's one weakness really.  
  
He drew his hands into fists only to get them to smile more. They Leaned in closer towards him so that only he could hear. "Is this new girl your new girlfriend Wallace?" They asked tauntingly.  
  
Kuki watched as his face grew bright red. Abby and Nigel raised an eyebrow at this strange scene. Was Wallabee actually blushing?  
  
He shook his head and gained his composure. With all hatred Wallabee thrusted his fist towards the delightful creeps... But something strange and very unexpected happened... Instead of making contact with the tiny pudgy girl's stomach... It went right through.  
  
They all took a step back in shock. The grins on the children's faces lit up with well, delight.  
  
"W-What?" Nigel stuttered. His mouth was opened wide in complete and utter shock.  
  
"We told you; you were to late. We've already taken the machine with us. It will take a few days but soon... The machine will be complete!"  
  
"Complete?!"  
  
"Foolish girl. Do you think that a scientist would actually create the entire machine? There's no way an adult could do this. We've done the old geezer a lesson and took just his blueprints.  
  
"Within a matter of days we'll have made the machine and already worked out the bugs." They chuckled.  
  
"How do you know we won't stop you before then?" Kuki asked.  
  
"You can't!" They shrieked.  
  
"Why not? We could go to your base anytime!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong. We've been how should we put this? Relocated."  
  
"Your nuts!" Abby barked.  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not. But we'll see who's nuts when they give into obeying their parents. You see... We've been planning this for along time now." Their image slowly began to fade. "It would seem you only have two weeks of freedom left Kids Next Door. We suggest you use them wisely." And with that they were gone. Their laughter could still be heard.  
  
Wallabee stood dumbfounded starring into space. He had been blushing... It didn't seem right.  
  
Abby dropped to her knees. "No..." She whispered. "We-we actually failed."  
  
Nigel placed a hand on her shoulder. "Its all right." He said to comfort her though in his own mind he felt the same way as well.  
  
Kuki stood still with her hand on her caps visor. For some reason she thought she could have done something to help. When the brats had said: "...You don't seem as weak as the first Numbuh 3..." It was like they put a thousand daggers through her at once.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Two days passed by quickly. Nigel shrugged off what the delightful children had said about the ray as just a rouse to get them to panic.  
  
Abby on the other hand wasn't so sure about that. She knew they failed and it was slowly tearing away at her. Even though she would hide it behind her usual confidence, but it showed sometimes. She was used to completing a mission without any trouble.  
  
Hoagie, still holding a grudge against Nigel, also had to agree that it was most likely a joke on the delightful children from down the lanes part.  
  
Kuki wasn't as angry with the others at the moment. She was more interested on getting the dorks back for saying that about her. It was a lot more personal now.  
  
Wallabee on the other hand was closed off more than often. It was a rarity when he came out of his room. No one was really sure what he was doing. All they knew was he wouldn't come out even for dinner.  
  
It was getting to boring for words cooped up in the tree house. So when it was suggested for the 'candy run,' Kuki jumped at it.  
  
Exiting from the small shop Kuki switched the extremely large bag of candy into her right hand. Humming and starring down at the gravel Kuki began her way back to the tree house.  
  
"Kayonie?!" A voice from behind shouted out to her. Not noticing it Kuki kept walking on. "Kayonie!" The voice tried again.  
  
'Dammit!' Kuki thought turning around and smiled at the boy trying to catch up to her. "Hi ya, Brian!"  
  
The young Brunette smiled at her at catching up. "Where have you been!?"  
  
"Uh... I've been staying with some old friends."  
  
"Oh. You know you could have stayed at my house." He whispered while blushing.  
  
Kuki winced. "Sorry Brian. I was uh-invited to stay with them you see." She lied. Brian was the one person she tolerated lying to. She hated him... Just like she was 'supposed' to hate W-  
  
He nodded. "I see. But if you change your mind-"  
  
"So how are things at the restaurant?" Kuki asked to change the subject.  
  
"Fine. Just not the same with out you." He said hinting. Then his expression changed. "You know Lena left you the restaurant..."  
  
Kuki took a step back. "W-What?! No that's a mistake. Or a joke? Right?"  
  
Brian shook his head. "In her will she left you the restaurant. Are you gonna come back?"  
  
" The restaurants yours now. I'm not going back."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Something." She answered plainly.  
  
"What is it? A guy?" She went completely red and quickly turned away.  
  
'Stop blushing!'  
  
"It's a guy?" He looked at her sadly. "Who? What's his name?"  
  
"It's not a guy!" She was still blushing as she rubbed the back of her neck.  
  
"Yeah it is. I wanna know who."  
  
"Why do you wanna know who he is so badly?"  
  
"You practically just admitted it."  
  
"No I didn't!"  
  
"Yes you did. So WHO is he?"  
  
She sighed. "An old friend..." She said so softly that he had to strain to hear.  
  
"What's his name?" He asked. His heart was breaking in two.  
  
Kuki turned away feeling her face go redder if possible. "I'm not gonna tell you that."  
  
"Why not? You know I'll find out anyway."  
  
"No you won't."  
  
"Just tell me."  
  
"I don't have to Brian. Just... Good bye!" She turned and walked away in anger.  
  
"I'll be seein' ya." Brian yelled out to her.  
  
'I hope not,' Kuki thought shaking her head.  
  
*You just pushed away the only person who may have ever cared about. 'He' doesn't care about you at all Kuki. You should know that by now.*  
  
The young blonde sat in confusion as the other two walked off in opposite directions. He'd heard a few words but that was it.  
  
Wallabee leaned back against the brick building and sighed. This other guy was a mystery to him. He'd never seen him or heard of him before. The only thing he knew was that for no reason at all, Wallabee didn't like him really at all. And the hatred seemed to had started when he saw this boy make 'Kayonie' blush.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Abby sighed. Nigel looked over at her. "Don't worry about it." He said as if reading her mind.  
  
"I can't." She admitted. "I really think they're going through with it."  
  
"I think they're just trying to scare us or something."  
  
Abby shook her head. "Numbuh 5 just can't believe that."  
  
"Come on Numbuh 5. I thought I was supposed to be the nervous one here." She smiled at his attempt to cheer her up.  
  
"Numbuh 5's worried that's all."  
  
He took a seat down next to her on the trampoline bed. "You don't have to be."  
  
She looked up into his eyes. "You can't tell yourself to feel a certain way." She sighed again and turned away. "BELIEVE me. Numbuh 5's tried."  
  
"How so."  
  
Abby smiled. "It's a secret Numbuh 1!" It was just her little secret. No one would ever know that she, Abigail Lincoln, had a crush on her boss, Nigel Uno.  
  
"I guess your right."  
  
"I know I am. You didn't tell yourself you loved Lizzie, you felt it, right?"  
  
"Actually... For a while I tried to make it so I thought I loved her, yes. But after a while I found it to be no use. So I broke up with her a few days ago."  
  
Abby blinked and looked at him in confusion. "Why?! Numbuh 5 thought you loved her."  
  
"No. I didn't want to believe it but I fell in love with someone else." He looked at her through the corner of his eyes. "So I hid myself behind false feelings of Lizzie hoping I'd forget about her...But I couldn't."  
  
"Basically, your going through the something as Numbuh 4, only in a twisted sort of way."  
  
Nigel thought of this a second and nodded. "I guess you could say that."  
  
"So... Who's the lucky girl?" Now there were two girls for Abby to secretly hate.  
  
That old sly smile fell across his face. "That's my little secret." No one would ever know that he, Nigel Uno, was in love with his co-partner, Abigail Lincoln.  
  
Abby groaned. If Nigel had a secret it meant there was no way that anyone would find out unless he wanted him to. Though occasionally he opened up to her more than the others, she knew he'd never tell her this.  
  
"Well, good night Numbuh 1." Abby leaned closer and planted a small kiss on his cheek. She moved back as his face went red.  
  
"Good night Numbuh 5." He whispered as he watched her walk out of the door.  
  
Abby sat down next to the podium and crossed her arms. Two people to hate. Two people to loathe and despise. And she didn't know one of them.  
  
Listening closely to the faint notes of the soft and sad music that wavered through the tree house Abby fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~(Some hours ltr, like 11:00 or 12:00 or suttin)~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The music was still playing as Kuki walked out of her room. Destination: Finding who or what was creating that music and with what instrument.  
  
She stopped for a second outside the hallway and smiled at the scene of Nigel placing a green blanket over the sleeping form of Abby before retreating to his bedroom.  
  
Quietly Kuki placed her ear against the door of Wallabee's room. She could hear the music coming within. Slowly she entered the room.  
  
Many seemingly untouched comics littered the floor. Stepping around each of them she placed her hand on the wood board and began climbing up. Finally reaching the top of the she placed her head in her hands. (still on the ladder but her head on the mat sorda.) She closed her eyes and listened to the melody. Its song was sad and almost brought tears to eyes, even after hearing quite similar songs for about three or four hours.  
  
Suddenly the song faded and Kuki opened her eyes again. Not taking notice of her he started to play a new song. Kuki tilted her head a bit to look at the instrument. In his hands was a metal harmonica.  
  
Kuki raised herself onto the mat. She sat down on one of the large strings that circled around the white floor next to him. The song, she guessed, was a bit shorter than the others were because he immediately stopped playing.  
  
"Your very talented." Kuki piped up cheerfully as she starred at the harmonica that produced such lovely songs. "But why are they all so sad?"  
  
"Isn't life?" He asked bringing the harmonica up to his lips again.  
  
Kuki looked at him not expecting that answer or quite understanding it. "What are you talking about?"  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"What did you mean by that?" She pressed. In an attempt to drone her out he played a higher note. Taking on this challenge she asked a third time, "What did you mean by that?"  
  
He pulled away from the harmonica. "Do you have to be just like that guy you met outside the candy shop?" He blurted.  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Were you spying on me?" A light blush crept on to her face.  
  
To keep from not answering Wallabee began playing another sad tune. Why was he blushing? Why did he keep blushing? What was wrong with him?  
  
She sighed. "Your very depressing." She whispered.  
  
"Thank you." He replied.  
  
She smiled. At least he was opening up a bit more than usual.  
  
Getting up Kuki extended her hand out to him. "I heard you like to fight. Hand to hand combat."  
  
He starred at her hand questioningly and felt his heart beat speed up a bit. He shook his head slightly.  
  
'STOP IT WALLABEE!!! Your not falling for her!' His mind screamed out.  
  
He looked up at her like a scared child. What was wrong with him? He hadn't felt like that since 'she' left. Why was he feeling this way now? When this girl was around... This girl who was trying to steal 'her' place. It was all to confusing.  
  
He starred at her for a second longer. In ways she was actually very much like 'her.' If it weren't for a few differences, Wallabee would probably confuse 'Kayonie' for Kuki.  
  
And things begun to make a bit more sense to him...  
  
"I challenge you to fight." Kuki repeated keeping her hand held out.  
  
Was he falling for this girl? Or was he still in love with Kuki?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: Well dats da end...  
  
4: Thank god!  
  
Demon:... Of this chapter.  
  
4: god -  
  
1: language #4  
  
3: I think its interesting.  
  
4: ::blushing:: what are you doing here?!  
  
5:Demon invited us to read.  
  
1+4:::Glares at Demon::  
  
Demon: ::evil laughter::  
  
3: Though I'm not much in character, am I?  
  
4: Yeah! And since when do I play the Harmonica?  
  
Demon: Since I watched Digimon 01 re-runs.  
  
4: Why?  
  
Demon: 'Cause I was looking for Sorato hints! And I think Yama-kun is hot!  
  
4: den why don't you write a sorato fic and stay out of mah love life.  
  
Demon: I can't do that. Its too much fun! ::More evil laughter::  
  
Angel: ::Sweat drop:: Demon would appreciate it if you'd review. Demon gonna go watch KND now. ::Walks away::  
  
Demon: ::Wipes away tear:: I hope you enjoyed! ~_^ 


	8. Discussions and more

A/N: uuuuhhhhhhhhhh. . . Sry for taking such a LONG time w/ updating but I was sort of stuck in the fight thingy and ended up deleting this thing about 20 time :P. I'm gonna skip a bit through the fight scene. Sry! But I'm not good in fighting hand to hand combat scenes. But I can write fight scene w/ swords and stuff! Only. . . Well that don't matter at the second! I don't even know why I was thinking I could write a fight. I sux! So I'm really sry 'bout that.  
  
4:Ahhh just get on with it!  
  
Demon: geesh! Don't rush me on this ::Evil smirk:: or there will be more ¾ in the future!  
  
4: NOOO  
  
Demon: Too late ^_~  
  
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Ch.8- Discussions and more (crappy title,huh?)  
  
"I'm not gonna bite you!" Kuki encouraged. The Australian boy just continued to stare at her hand in uncertainty. "Are you afraid I'll beat you?" She egged on.  
  
"T'at chance!" He barked back letting his pride get the best of him.  
  
"Then why not? Come on Numbuh 4! I'll go easy on you."  
  
Wallabee glared at the girl in front of him. "Ya just diggin' your own grave ya know." And with that said he accepted the Japanese girl's hand.  
  
(What?! U didn't think I was serious about skipping some of the fight matchy thinga ma bobber? Well I was! Sry!!!!!!!!! But just so you don't hurt me::Ducks thrown cabbage:: I'm adding a small 1/5 scene! ::Gets hit w/ a frying pan thrown by #1::)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. A small smile formed on her lips as she remembered the sweet dream she had only moments ago:  
  
It was quiet somewhere in the tree house; she wasn't quiet sure where she was though.  
  
Wallabee, 'Kayonie', and Hoagie were no where to be seen. But she didn't care for their absence. Nigel sat next to her in the red velvet chair. She was comfortable with him even though it seemed that both were upset about something.  
  
"There's a lesson to be learned here Numbuh 1," she said like a schoolteacher.  
  
He gave her a slight smile. "And exactly what would that be?" He inquired.  
  
"Poor Numbuh 4." She whispered ignoring his question at first. There was a small pause before she answered, "With all that's been happening does Numbuh 5 really have ta explain?" Another pause. "Remember that conversation we had a few weeks ago? The one where you admitted haven feelin's fo' that mystery gal?"  
  
Nigel nodded as Abby winced. By far that was one of her most dis-liked conversations she ever had with Nigel.  
  
Think about: knowing your long time crush had a girlfriend and then later learn that he had no feelings for the girl, you get your hopes up just to learn that he's really in love with another girl that possibly isn't you. Would that be your favorite talk?  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks that maybe ya should just come out and tell her... I mean, what if the same thing happened to you like it did Numbuh 4? Ya wouldn't wanna go through life regettin' that you neva told her, would you?"  
  
There was a small smile on his face as he thought about it. "I think your right Abby."  
  
Abby sighed as she looked away from him not wanting to look in eyes. She was about to loose the only guy she ever really cared about, forever. "Numbuh 5 knows..." And just before she was about to walk away and sink deeper into her sea of despair she felt soft lips upon hers-  
  
Slowly Abby came back to the reality of it all with a small shake of her head. Her smiled vanished like it had never been there, replaced with a small frown.  
  
It was only a dream- but it was so pleasant and so real. She swore she could feel the tingle still on her lips.  
  
"Nice to see you're awake!" Nigel's voice exclaimed. She jumped in surprise to find that he was sitting next to her. Also, she noted that he had not been there a moment ago.  
  
"Hi Numbuh 1!" She said back putting on her best smile.  
  
"Guess you conked out, huh?"  
  
"Guess so." Abigail bit her bottom lip as she remembered her last waking minutes.  
  
They had been spent with thoughts full of 101 ways to kill the mystery girl and Lizzie. Abby grinned. Each thought had been etched deep into her mind and she could clearly state every one of them. Especially those having to deal with slow and painful torture.  
  
"Hello! Earth to Numbuh 5!" Nigel's voice cut through her thoughts as he waved a hand in front of her.  
  
A light blush crept on her face. "Sorry boss! What were ya saying?"  
  
"Never mind Numbuh 5!" He shook his head. "Is there anything bothering you?"  
  
'You mean beside the fact that you don't notice me as anything other than a friend? A teammate? N-'  
  
"No, Nothings wrong with Numbuh 5. Why do ya ask?" She looked at him innocently.  
  
"I don't know... It's just you haven't been the same lately. I-"  
  
"I haven't noticed that. Sorry." She interrupted.  
  
He fixed his shades with a small sigh. There had been too much of a change in her over the last few days. Too much to be ignored. If she was hurting he wanted to know. He needed to know...  
  
"If you ever need to talk to someone, Numbuh 5, you should know that I'm always here for you." He didn't even try to hide his blush. Abby smiled.  
  
"Thanks Numbuh 1. That means a lot to me."  
  
Nigel put an arm around her shoulder. She laid her head down and murmured something that neither of the two understood. "I care for you Numbuh 5..."  
  
Abby sighed contented where she was. At least he cared. She moved closer to him. She could always dream.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Wallabee winced as his back made contact with the hard mat. He squinted his eyes enough to see Kuki standing over him in victory.  
  
"Who dug who's grave?" She placed her foot on his stomach in triumph. "Looks like I won, tuff guy!"  
  
A small smile formed on Wallabee's face. He swung out his leg sweeping it underneath Kuki's causing the poor Japanese girl to come crashing down on the mat as well.  
  
"Hey! No fair Numbuh 4!" She groaned holding her throbbing head.  
  
"Course it is! All's fair!" Wallabee sat up and wiped away some sweat. (A/N: uhhhh) He smirked. "Looks like I won."  
  
Kuki bolted up. "No way you cheater!"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"Nuh-uh"  
  
"Uh-huh"  
  
"Nuh-uh"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"Nuh-uh"  
  
"Nuh-uh!"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"O.k. T'at's fine with me. I won and t'at's t'at."  
  
Kuki eyes opened in horror. "You tricked me!"  
  
"With t'e oldest trick in t'e book I might add."  
  
Kuki growled, "I hate you." She yelled in a playful manner. It only made his smile widen.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Want another whopping?" Wallabee immediately stopped grinning. "Thought so!"  
  
There was a short silence before Kuki broke it again. "We'll call it a tie. Oki dokie?!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Kuki smiled at him. "I'm glad your opening up a lot more W- Numbuh 4!"  
  
"What are you talking about." He turned away from her. Of course he knew what she was talking about.  
  
"Well, when I first came here you really wouldn't even look at me. I thought you didn't even know how to smile. But here you are! Grinning ear to ear and arguing with me." Kuki giggled.  
  
He shrugged it off.  
  
"Anyway that was fun! If you ever need someone to train with I'm always around."  
  
Wallabee found himself starring at the ground. He gave Kuki a half smile.  
  
'Kuki used to train with me sometimes.' He thought sadly.  
  
"You know," Kuki continued, her once pleasant smile faded, " this little 'exercise' almost made me forget all the pain I've been going through."  
  
Wallabee shook his head receiving a confused look from Kuki. "Ya can't forget pain." He whispered closing his eyes.  
  
'I've tried.'  
  
"Numbuh 4? There was something I was meaning to ask you."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"What ever happened to Numbuh 3?"  
  
Wallabee had to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. "S-s'e ran away..."  
  
"I see," Kuki nodded to make it seems believable that she actually knew nothing about it. "Do you miss her?" Kuki held in her breath.  
  
'Course I miss 'er! Are ya t'at blind?! Why wouldn't I?! I'm in love with!' He would of yelled that out. He wanted to. But the door interrupted him.  
  
"Hi! I heard noises and I wanted to see if... You.Were...O.K...." Hoagie starred at them with wide eyes.  
  
"Of course were O.K. silly!" Kuki said with a few giggles.  
  
"I see that now."  
  
Wallabee rolled his eyes only imagining what his friend could be thinking. "Not t'at!" He yelled as Hoagie relaxed. Kuki looked back and forth not sure of what they were talking about. She shrugged it off after a while.  
  
"It's late. I guess I'll go to sleep." Kuki smiled at Hoagie as she left the room.  
  
"Yer sick." Wallabee gagged.  
  
"Awww! Come on Numbuh 4 you know you like!" Hoagie taunted.  
  
"It's Numbuh 5's job ta do t'e teasing."  
  
Hoagie glared at him. "It's a free country. I can do what I want!" Hoagie said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I don't believe t'at." Wallabee whispered going into his own little world.  
  
"And why not?" Hoagie asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"If I could do anythin' I wanted to... Then I wouldn't be here." Hoagie's face softened. "I'd be with Kuki..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kuki starred at her plate during dinner the next night. She hadn't been in contact with Wallabee since their 'friendly' match.  
  
She'd fallen asleep the second she had laid down her head. And the rest of the day was pretty uneventful.  
  
She sighed, playing with her food.  
  
"So-" Nigel began.  
  
"I'm going ter mah room." And with that Wallabee got up from the table.  
  
Abby watched with a blank expression on her face.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Kuki asked going back to her food playing.  
  
"Long story," was Abby's simple reply.  
  
"I'd like to here it." Kuki pestered again.  
  
"Maybe later." Abby negotiated. "What's your obsession with Numbuh 4's attitude anyway?"  
  
Kuki went scarlet. Thankfully it went unnoticed by the others. "Nothing-I mean I just wonder why he acts like that."  
  
"You would too-" Hoagie began, but stopped when he got the evil eye from Nigel.  
  
Kuki blinked. It was like everyone was hiding something from her. "How long has he been like this?"  
  
"A y- Owwww." Hoagie was yet again cut of by one of Nigel's tactics. Though this time it wasn't a glare but a sharp kick in the leg. Thus, an argument began.  
  
"Uhhhhh- Should I ask?"  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks it's best not if ya wanna live to see tomorrow."  
  
The two watched them bicker for a while. "Numbuh 5's going to talk with Numbuh 4." Abby was in the process of standing up when Kuki grabbed her arm.  
  
"Your not going to leave me alone with them are you?!" Kuki asked in a fearful tone.  
  
Abigail laughed. "Something tells Numbuh 5 you'll survive."  
  
Kuki gulped as the argument went to another level and reluctantly let go of Abby. "Hurry, please?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Abigail finished the climb up the later just to be met with an empty arena. She scratched the back of her head in confusion.  
  
"Numbuh 4?" She called out. There was silence before he answered.  
  
"Up 'ere," he informed.  
  
Abby looked up but only saw the branches of the tree. "Up where?" She squinted just to possibly catch a glimpse of orange or at least blonde.  
  
"T'e ladder!"  
  
"No. Numbuh 5 just came up it. Your not there."  
  
"Are ya just tryin' ter get on my nerves or are ya t'at Naïve?!"  
  
Abby took it into mock consideration. "Hmmm. Numbuh 5 would have to say a little bit of both."  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
"Sorry can't do that!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks we need to talk."  
  
"Nope. Can't say I agree with ya."  
  
"Numbuh 5 demands you come down here!" She shouted to the branches.  
  
"And why are you talking to t'e tree?" Wallabee teased with a small chuckle.  
  
Abby felt her face go red with embarrassment. She turned to face Wallabee who stood a few feet away. "Where were you?"  
  
"T'e roof."  
  
"I see."  
  
"So what did you wanna talk about?" Wallabee took a seat down on one of the many ropes. She sat down next to him. Putting her arms behind her back she placed her words together in her mind.  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks you like this New Numbuh 3. But your afraid to let go of Kuki." Abby sighed. "But Numbuh 5 thinks you should let go now."  
  
Wallabee shook his head. "How would ya feel if Numbuh 1 went away and everyone was tellin' ya ter move on?"  
  
Abby thought for a second. "Well-I'd- Ahh- Numbuh 5 would ignore everyone...And keep believing that he'd come back- How'd you know that I liked Numbuh 1?!"  
  
"That's mah secret." He replied with a tiny grin.  
  
"What is it with you boys and your secrets?! Numbuh 5 doesn't even have that many!"  
  
"ummm- What are you talkin' about?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"But ya get mah point now."  
  
Abby sighed in her own defeat. "She's got you under her spell." She said changing the subject.  
  
"W-"  
  
"Numbuh 3. Just the other day you were avoiding everyone and everything. But right now you're smiling. You even laughed! Do you know how amazing that is?"  
  
"Numbuh 5- you're scarin' me."  
  
"Tell Numbuh 5. Why do you suddenly open up to Numbuh 3?"  
  
"I dunno." A pause. "I guess its because s'e reminds me so much of Kuki."  
  
"Numbuh 4 everything reminds you of her. What doesn't?"  
  
"Lemme see. There's you, Numbuh 1, Numbuh -"  
  
"Fine. You win."  
  
"I seem ta be winnin' a lot today."  
  
Abby raised an eyebrow at him, as she adjusted her cap. "Who else did ya win against?"  
  
"Nu-Numbuh 3." Abby gave her friend an encouraging smile. It was a start. And then realization dawned on her.  
  
"Speaking of which Numbuh 5 should save her right now!"  
  
Wallabee watched the girl leave and shook his head. Figuring out Hoagie was one thing. But figuring out Abby... It was impossible!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Oeuf!" (?) Abigail gasped as she collided with another person.  
  
"Numbuh 5?" Someone asked her. Placing their hands on her shoulders for balance. Abby's face went hot as she placed together the voice.  
  
"Numbuh 1?" She asked looking up into his face.  
  
"Nice running into you." He joked. Neither one laughed, or looked away for that matter.  
  
"Yeah." Abby breathed out not being able to find any other words.  
  
They stayed that way for a good five minutes before quickly pulling away. "So... What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came to talk to Numbuh 4."  
  
"Let me guess. You told him to forget about Numbuh 3 and he steered the conversation your way."  
  
"NO!" She denied. "Sort of. O.K. You prier your right. Happy?"  
  
Nigel smiled from ear to ear. "Very."  
  
"You know, though, I find this 'plot' very romantic."  
  
"'Plot?''Romantic?'"  
  
"Yeah. Boy meets girl. Boy falls head over heels fo' girl. Girl loves boy back. Fo' unknown reasons girl leaves. Boy can't forget girl. To make a long story short. At the end the girl comes back and everything's peachy in the end. One of Numbuh 5's fav. plots."  
  
"You've forgotten something in your logic. This is the real world. Not one of your movies."  
  
Abby pouted. "You take all the fun out of stuff don'tcha?" Secretly that was something she liked most about him. He was always down to earth.  
  
"So- What's your top favorite story line?"  
  
"Let's see." Abigail looked at her 'interesting' hands. "Numbuh 5's fav. plot would have to be when a girl loves a boy, but he already loves another girl. The main girl and boy are best friends so he shares just about everything with her.  
  
"Later on he dumps his girl and the main one thinks that she may have a shot. Sadly she discovers that the girl he's really in love with just may not be her. So she sinks deeper in her own misery. Usually by the end the boy either realizes he's really in love with his friend. Or she was the one he loved since the beginning.  
  
Abby shuffled her feet. "But just like you said. This is real life. And Numbuh 5 just can't see it happening. Look, Numbuh 5's going to crash fo' the night. See ya in the mornin'."  
  
Nigel watches Abigail walk towards her sleeping quarters. Without turning around she waved a good-bye and disappeared through the door.  
  
And all he could do was try understanding what she meant.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: The end of another ch.!  
  
4:Finally!  
  
Demon: I got like millions of ideas for other fics! YAY!  
  
4: Maybe they won't have ¾ ::Hopeful::  
  
Demon: For that comment they will have ¾ and 1/5! ::Laughter::  
  
1: What did I do!  
  
Demon: For that they will also have 1/5!  
  
1: ::Muttering:: Lousy author!  
  
Demon: On another note I'd like to say Ahem- ::Crying and begging:: Pweney please forgive me! In that last Ch. During that intruding A/N when I said it's kind of stupid but you'd ACT that way too if u thought u had to obey ur parents. I swear I wasn't dissing off the machine cuz I really liked that idea or I wouldn't of used it. I called the way they reacted stupid. Ur idea is original and I feel just awful for making u think I hated it! Please forgive me or I'll shoot myself!  
  
4: ::starts looking for something::  
  
3: What are you looking for?  
  
4: A gun  
  
Demon: Anyway Please forgive me!!!! And to everybody who reviewed thanks. And sorry for the long wait! I got lost and everything in the fight scene and ended up deleting it. Then I was too angry to write cuz I made this poem and read it to a teacher and she sent me to the guidance offices. Both of them think I wanna commit sucuicide!  
  
Angel: Well please review Demon's work! Thank you!  
  
Hope You Enjoyed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	9. Suspicion

A/N: Thanks Reviewers!!!!  
  
4: Ur very obnoxious ya know t'at?  
  
Demon: ::sticking out tongue:: You mean like you?  
  
4: Ur askin' for it!  
  
3: Calm down #4  
  
Demon: I think that'll do the trick.  
  
1: No 1/5 in this ch. Right?  
  
Demon: ::Innocent look:: I wouldn't say that...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ch.9- Suspicion  
  
"Comic day." Kuki sang out to herself as she exited from her room. It, being Saturday and all, meant that the male occupants of the tree house went on their weekly visit to the bookstore.  
  
Of course it wasn't to read some adult book, like 'Angela's Ashes' or something. But everyday Saturday at this time the bookstore got their new shipments of Comics and Mangas. The boys would always make sure to be the first in line.  
  
Kuki sighed. She decided she'd find the 'spy' to talk or something. After all they were friends.  
  
*Used to be.* The voice 'kindly' reminded her.  
  
"Numbuh 5!" Kuki called out for the other girl. Met with no reply Kuki walked into the main room. (A/n: Or living room. What ever you wanna call it.)  
  
She stopped quickly to view the T.V. 'Mute' was written on the left-hand side. Some commercial was on, selling some toy for five-year-olds.  
  
Kuki peered over the couch to see the sleeping form of-  
  
"Numbuh 4?!" She gasped not understanding why he was there. Usually he went along with the other boys and was forced to get her and Abby's magazine's, which he'd pull out with his tongs.  
  
The young Australian boy lay asleep on the couch. Kuki smiled at the innocent look on his face. She wiped a blonde strand from his eyes.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked calmly. The boy shifted slightly while mumbling some words. Kuki's eyes traced a black cord to the headphones.  
  
Carefully, she lifted them up placing them on her own ears. She shrieked as loud music rang out, quickly pulling them away.  
  
"How can he sleep through this?!" She asked herself, returning them to their owner.  
  
"Numbuh 5 swears he's an angel while sleeping, but acts like he lives in hell when awake."  
  
Kuki giggled turning away from Wallabee. "If you want to say it like that."  
  
Abby smiled as well. " So why didn't he go with Numbuh 2 and Numbuh 1?" Kuki asked after a few moments of silence.  
  
"Numbuh 4 dun go to the comic store much anymore. Though Numbuh 5 wouldn't blame you for not noticing this. He's coped up in that room of his. Hard to believe he's alive, eh?"  
  
"Yeah... Guess so. Why doesn't he go to the Comic store?"  
  
"Curious aren't we? Numbuh 5 wants to know why you're always asking about him?" The dark girl asked turning to Kuki.  
  
A light blush heated up her face. "He's a mystery that's why."  
  
"Numbuh 5's not sure if that's the entire story but she'll buy it, for now." There was an odd glow in her eyes.  
  
"Not sure what you mean Numbuh 5."  
  
Abby nodded. "Numbuh 5's not quite sure either. Come on. Let sleeping boys lay." Abby motioned for Kuki to follow her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Magazine?" Abby offered as she sat down on the couch in her room. She sipped her milk shake that she had recently poured from her bar.  
  
"No thanks." Kuki replied. She sat down on chair made of velvet and began noting a few details of Abby's room. It was very rare that anyone got in. Other than Nigel, of course.  
  
The room was pretty ordinary. A dresser that was located next to her blue colored bed was in the far corner. A table covered with mountains of books and magazines stood inches away. The carpet was deep red and the walls were made of woods. (duh...)  
  
The only thing that wasn't regular was the bar in the corner closest to them, which held a large supply of beverages.  
  
"Suit yourself..." Abby shrugged. Slowly she was engulfed into an article on the boyfriend helmet.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?"  
  
"Numbuh 5 dunno. You called me."  
  
"That's right, huh?"  
  
There was a long silence as Abby slipped her own headphones onto her neck. It was hard to tell which one she was listening to due to the many empty CD cases littering the floor.  
  
"Got anythang in mind?"  
  
"Not really... I just knew the boys weren't home and thought maybe we could talk about stuff..."  
  
"By stuff you would mean?" Abby put her feet on the surface of the coffee table, continuing her reading.  
  
"Just stuff." Was Kuki's reply as she brought her feet up to sit Indian styled.  
  
"Not much to choose from: Books, favorites, boys perhaps- or you favorite subject: Numbuh 4 and your always asked question- What happened to Numbuh 3? Numbuh 5 dun get it! Why you wanna know anyway? The past was back then. You didn't know her..." Abby looked up at Kuki with a suspicious glint in her eyes. "Do you?"  
  
'More than you know.'  
  
"You could say that..." Kuki whispered, biting her bottom lip.  
  
Immediately Abby jumped to her feet, abandoning her magazine on the couch. "Where is she?"  
  
Kuki looked a bit puzzled. 'Maybe-'  
  
*No Kuki,* the voice laughed. *She doesn't miss you, she's only curious... So why don't you tell her the truth-*  
  
'You mean that I'm Numbuh 3?!'  
  
*NO! Tell her what happened to you. The real you. When your father died...*  
  
"She's dead." Kuki turned her head quickly.  
  
"Wha- No. That can't happen."  
  
"People die. That's the way life is." Kuki had to turn away to hide the tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"They don't just die."  
  
"Some do. For others it's painful..."  
  
"How did you know her?" Abby sat down. Her eyes showed a bit of shock and confusion. It wasn't exactly what she was expecting.  
  
"At the restaurant..."  
  
"How did it happen?"  
  
"She came into the restaurant and Lena thought she was-"  
  
"Not that! How did, you know, happen?"  
  
Kuki gulped. What was she supposed to say? "Umm... She uhhh..."  
  
Abby narrowed her eyes. 'Is she delaying?'  
  
"Kuki was with Lena... Yeah that's right! They were going to the air port to uh... Pick up Lena's mom and there was this huge car crash. Neither survived.  
  
"Did you miss her?"  
  
Abby starred at Kuki for a while. 'There's just somethang familiar about her....'  
  
"Of course Numbuh 5 misses her. She was Numbuh 5's best friend."  
  
Kuki smiled. 'See she missed me!'  
  
*It doesn't mean anything*  
  
'Just can't admit it when you're wrong, huh?'  
  
*I'll admit it when I am wrong.*  
  
"But we have you now." Abby said. She was trying to be nice, though. It wouldn't be fun living with someone who hated you.  
  
Abby watched as Kuki's expressions dropped. '...And odd...' Abby picked up her formally abandoned magazine and began reading where she left off.  
  
*What did I say?*  
  
'I guess you weren't wrong.' Kuki thought standing up.  
  
"Where you goin'?" Abby asked curiously looking at Kuki with that same suspicion as before.  
  
"I'm gonna see if the boys are back. I'll talk to you later, Numbuh 5."  
  
"You know," Abby began, adjusting herself to look towards Kuki, "when the boys aren't around you can call me Abby if ya like."  
  
"Yeah! And you can call me Ku-Kayonie."  
  
Abby narrowed her eyes at the Japanese girl. 'Alright, that does it-'  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
Kuki tilted her head in puzzlement. "Kayonie."  
  
"No playin', who are you?"  
  
"Kayonie!" She said a bit louder just to make sure Abby heard her.  
  
"Seriously, WHO ARE YOU?!"  
  
"Oh I see. I'm Numbuh 3 of the Kids Next Door."  
  
"Your trying Numbuh 5's patience. Who are you?"  
  
"Kayonie...Reseki?"  
  
"No. Tell Numbuh 5!"She pried.  
  
"Numbuh 5 your scaring me..." Kuki admitted while taking a step back.  
  
Abby shook her head. This definitely wasn't working. It was time for another tactic. This one, though, would work. She stood up from the couch with a sincere smile.  
  
"Sorry Numbuh 3. Numbuh 5 musta gone and lost her head." Abby said apologetically. Her fingers traced and object that was hidden well behind her back.  
  
"It's alright Numbuh 5! I don't blame you." Kuki said cheerfully. She gave a small sigh of relief. Thankfully her cover hadn't been blown.  
  
"Oh and Numbuh 3..." Abby called out. Kuki looked back.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Abby pulled the object out from behind her revealing a slingshot. She swiftly shot something. Kuki had no time to react at a circular piece flung by hitting the top of her hat and knocking it down. Her hair fell freely to its respected area. She stood in shock as some strands fell over her face.  
  
"How...?" She couldn't seem to form the rest of her question. Abby stood with a large smirk on her face.  
  
"It was quiet obvious. The way you fond over Numbuh 4 and such." She wasn't showing it but Abigail was just as surprised as Kuki.  
  
"Numbuh 5..." She took a deep breath as she finally recovered. Kuki quickly gathered her hat and applied to it to its original place. "Don't tell anyone, please?" She pleaded.  
  
"Why?! This is suttin' I should tell everyone!" Abby shouted, pleased with herself for the time being.  
  
"It's personal. Don't tell anyone." A smirk similar to the devils appeared on Kuki's features. "Or I'll tell everyone that you're in love with Numbuh 1!"  
  
"What?! How does everyone know that?! Numbuh 5 neva told a soul."  
  
"Just like you said, It's obvious."  
  
Abby growled before nodding. "Fine I won't tell anyone. But you better come clean soon or I'll tell every soul in this tree house." She threatened.  
  
"I will."  
  
"And I shouldn't say this but if your tryin' to find out if anyone misses you, then I think Numbuh 4 should be your next target."  
  
Kuki considered this for a brief moment. "Why?"  
  
"Numbuh 5 can't say. That you'll figure out on your own."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wallabee opened his eyes only to find Abigail looking down at him. On instinct he screamed and bolted right up. "T'at's not a pleasant thing ter wake up to, ya know."  
  
Abby ignored him and jumped over the couch so she was sitting next to him. "Guess what?"  
  
"What?" He asked turning off his CD player.  
  
"Numbuh 5's finally got a secret!"  
  
"Whoophie do for you." He said sarcastically. "Like I care." He muttered.  
  
Abby smiled. "Oh dun worry Numbuh 4. As soon as you find out what it is I'm sure you'll care!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: Another Pathetic Ch. Of mine.  
  
1: Heh could have been worse. I mean there's less romance in this one.  
  
4: There's no such thing as less romance to 'er.  
  
Demon: Hehe that's right.  
  
Angel: Don't get too comfy. Demon wants ta go.  
  
Demon: Hey No fair!  
  
Credit:  
  
For everyone who wanted someone to know who Kuki was. There was a few of you, no? Can't remember everyone who wanted that, though, sry! 


	10. Rainy days

A/N: Hilo! ^_^ It's me! Well, who'd u think?! Thanks everyone who reviewed and read my story, you guys are da best!  
  
4: Another cruddy chapter with more cruddy romances between me and Numbuh 3  
  
Demon: Ur right.  
  
4: I am?!  
  
Demon: Yeah. Poor Numbuh 3!  
  
4:What?!  
  
Demon: Yeah. Poor 3. She has to be paired with some1 who won't admit that he likes her even though he does and writes it in his diary-oooppppsss  
  
4: IT'S A JOURNAL!!!!!  
  
Demon: Suuuuurrrrrrrreeeeeeee (hehe thanks Meteora. I never knew #4 had a diary until ur review and I went searching for it and found it in his room! Now I can't stop taunting him about it ^_~)  
  
4: I told u! It's a JOURNAL!!!!!!!!  
  
Everyone: RRRRRRRiiiiiggggggghhhhhhttttttttt  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
CH.10- Rainy days  
  
The five kids groaned as they made their way through the park. They'd been awakened by the alarms and were excited to have something to do for once.  
  
But now their excitement was gone. Their muscles ached after such a long fight.  
  
They'd decided to take a shortcut through the park that day. It was only a caution due to the cloudy skies.  
  
Nigel and Hoagie walked in front of the others. They had been discussing new tactics and weapon repair. On a few occasions Hoagie had been able to steer the conversation to a certain girl of Nigel's affections. Only any chance at the leader admitting it was slim.  
  
Wallabee took up the rear of the group. He starred down at the gravel without a care of anything else.  
  
Kuki and Abby whispered back and forth. The boys didn't even dare to strain their ears. For all they knew the girls discussions were on make-up and clothes.  
  
"Numbuh 5's not sure how much longer I can keep this secret." Abby admitted.  
  
"You have to!" Kuki yelled as loud as possible without getting the others attention. "Besides I thought you wanted a secret."  
  
"Yeah. But not one like this! Numbuh 5 wanted a secret about who liked who or suttin' like that."  
  
"Well just pretend."  
  
"How?!"  
  
"Well... Pretend that Numbuh 2 told you that he liked someone."  
  
"I can't pretend that your Numbuh 2. That would be weird."  
  
"Ugh! Then pretend that I'm someone else that you know and I said I liked someone."  
  
"What eva.That's confusing."  
  
"Come on Numbuh 5! You gotta! This is really important to me!"  
  
"Numbuh 5's been meaning to ask: Why did you leave in the first place?"  
  
"Move it team!" Nigel called out.  
  
"Maybe I'll tell you later." Kuki gave her friend a reassuring smile. Abby just rolled her eyes.  
  
"Sure." Something dropped lightly on her head. Abby looked up at the gray sky but found nothing. Another drop landed square on her cheek.  
  
"It's raining." Nigel confirmed as more raindrops pelted down. First it was a few here and there but it soon came out in light drizzles.  
  
Hoagie groaned. "Of all days we had to decide not to bring the M.O.S.I.T.O.H." He complained giving a short glare at Nigel.  
  
"Aaawwww. Come on guys. This is no time to fight." Abby said jumping between the two. From the look on Nigel's face it would have been war if she hadn't stopped it.  
  
"Numbuh 5's right." Nigel agreed turning his focus to the path ahead.  
  
"Course I am. Numbuh 5's always right!" She said triumphantly, beaming with pride.  
  
"What have you done?" Hoagie shared one of those 'Uh-oh' looks with Kuki as the two watched her in fear.  
  
"Maybe..." Wallabee began as the rain began to pound harder and a loud boom rang out, "We s'ould find some place ter stay for a while." He suggested, still starring at the ground.  
  
"Right." Nigel nodded. The kids sat down under the little pavilion. It was where most of the public events were held. It had been built a few years ago. It wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. The white paint was beginning to peel, but otherwise it was all right.  
  
Abby twisted her hair to drain it of water. Kuki sat down on one of the banisters hugging herself for any warmth her drenched sweater may have brought.  
  
"Say Numbuh 3, perhaps this little time may be good for us." That small glint in the dark girl's eyes made Kuki shiver more.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kuki regretted asking her that.  
  
"You can find out exactly how much Numbuh 4 lov- I mean missed you, and Numbuh 5 can find out how much Numbuh 1's missed you."  
  
"And what do you get out of this?"  
  
Abby fell into thought for a second. "Just the satisfaction that Numbuh 5 can help you."  
  
"Uh-huh. Anything else?"  
  
"No. Just that." Abigail tried not to make eye contact but Kuki already knew.  
  
"You just wanna excuse to be near Numbuh 1." Kuki accused, smiling.  
  
"So... You get to be near Numbuh 4. It's only fair I get near Numbuh 1."  
  
"Since when did I say I liked Numbuh 4?!" Kuki screeched turning a bright red. She was thankful the boys hadn't heard.  
  
"Call it intuition. Are you blushing?" Abby asked with a smirk.  
  
"N-no." She stumbled, turning redder. It only added to Abby's satisfaction.  
  
"Oh Numbuh 1!" Abby waved walking over to him.  
  
"I'm really gonna hurt her later."  
  
"Numbuh 5?" A new voice asked. Kuki almost jumped twelve feet.  
  
With a sigh of relief she nodded. "How much did you hear?"  
  
"Just t'at ya wanted to 'urt Numbuh 5."  
  
Hoagie shook his head. It wasn't really fair.  
  
The others had a habit of leaving him out of things. He was always the fifth wheel and he was tired of it. Even when Kuki had left it was Nigel and Abby together and then just Wallabee. He had refused to make much contact with anyone. So both were pretty much left out now a days.  
  
And then 'Kayonie' came... And it was obvious that Wallabee liked her, possibly just as much as he did Kuki. Though you couldn't blame him. Kuki and 'Kayonie' were so much a like. It was sometimes hard to think they were different people. But since Wallabee was opening up more to the new girl, it meant Hoagie was left being the fifth wheel all over again.  
  
He wished that Lizzie were there. After Nigel broke up with her Hoagie found the girl at the doorstep upset. He had comforted her until it got late outside. He saw a lot more of her lately. The two had become great friends.  
  
But Hoagie was sure he had more feelings than just that...  
  
"So, Numbuh 1..." Abby approached him. He turned to her.  
  
"Yes Numbuh 5?"  
  
Abby didn't say anything. She was lost under his gaze. That familiar beating in her heart began pounding in her ears. Louder than the rain and thunder.  
  
"Ummm..." She pressed her lips tight in a flat line. ' He's your best friend. You do not like him!' She chanted over in her mind. He smiled at her and her face went red like a tomato.  
  
'O.k. So you're in love with him. You weren't completely wrong.' Abby took a deep breath. "Was up?"  
  
"As you can see nothing really." He chuckled.  
  
"Oh yeah." Abby scratched the back of her neck. "Uhhh...What's new? We haven't really talked much lately, huh?"  
  
"No, we haven't."  
  
"How's it going with your crush?" Abby leaned back hiding the hurt in her tone.  
  
"I think it's going pretty well."  
  
'Numbuh 1, you have no idea how much you hurt me.'  
  
Nigel glimpsed over at where Kuki and Wallabee were talking. Even if Kuki was leading the conversation and Wallabee wasn't completely into it, they seemed to get along just fine.  
  
"Why did you run away?" Wallabee interrupted her rambling. Kuki stopped immediately, her eyes went wide.  
  
'Please no. Please no.' She repeated. "What?!"  
  
"Why did you run away from your first place?"  
  
Kuki looked up thankfully towards the sky. "I dunno."  
  
"T'ere's gotta be a reason. People just don't leave, right?"  
  
"I guess it was because they hate me. I heard them saying how much they wished I were gone. I did them a favor and left for good."  
  
" I'm sure someone misses ya."  
  
"Thanks." Kuki had just turned back to her regular color but now she was back to the color pink. (A/N: Pink: blushing. She's not a mutant ^_^) Wallabee just shrugged. "Do you think Numbuh 1 likes Numbuh 5 as much as she likes him?" She asked out of the blue.  
  
"t'ink? Everybody knows."  
  
"I wonder what's under the cap..." Nigel teased. It was known that Abby rarely took off her hat.  
  
"Don't you dare Numbuh 1." She chastised.  
  
"Dare what?" He asked innocently.  
  
"Numbuh 5'll hunt you down." She threatened.  
  
"Oh! You mean if I do this?" Nigel snatched her hat in a swift motion. Abby quickly covered her head.  
  
"I'm seriously going to hurt you." She growled as she jumped for her hat, cursing at the fact that he was much taller than her.  
  
"Is that a promise?" He gave her a wicked smile while she jumped for it again.  
  
"Care to find out?"  
  
"No, not really." He laughed. "Bye!" He yelled, he ran out into the rain.  
  
"Your nuts!" She yelled to him.  
  
"Why thank you!"  
  
"Ugh!" Without another thought, Abby ran out after him.  
  
"Their both nuts." Hoagie concluded. The three watched from the pavilion as the pair ran further out into the storm.  
  
"If they get hit with lightning and die, I'm not going to their funeral." The other two nodded.  
  
"I'm goin' to kill you Numbuh 1!" They heard Abby yell.  
  
"Ten bucks Numbuh 1 gets away." Hoagie flashed a ten in Wallabee's face. He cursed that he wasn't able to turn down a challenge.  
  
"Twenty bucks Numbuh 5 pounds him. Deal?"  
  
"Deal." The two shook hands.  
  
"It stopped raining..." Kuki stated as the last of the thunder boomed in their ears.  
  
Abby took Nigel's second of realization to grab her hat and put it back on as the rest joined them.  
  
"Time to go back." Nigel said looking a bit disappointed. It was obvious he enjoyed flirting with Abby.  
  
"Did you get Numbuh 4's answer?" Abby asked as they proceeded on their way back.  
  
Kuki hit her head. "I forgot."  
  
"Then you won't be so mad when I tell you Numbuh 5 forgot as well."  
  
"It's o.k. I find out from Numbuh 1 right now." She said quickening her pace to catch up with their leader.  
  
Abby fell behind to talk with Hoagie whom was smiling like crazy. "What? Got a date with Lizzie or suttin'"  
  
Hoagie showed Abby the twenty dollar bills in his hands. "Thanks for not hitting Numbuh 1."  
  
Abby starred at him in confusion. "You're welcome... I guess."  
  
"Hiya Numbuh 1." Kuki said cheerfully as she finally caught up.  
  
"Hi, Numbuh 3." He replied.  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Do you like Numbuh 5?"  
  
Nigel went pink to red. "That's my business Numbuh 3."  
  
"Well, that wasn't my question."  
  
"What was it then?"  
  
"Uh- I just wanted to know if you missed the old Numbuh 3."  
  
"Why are you so curious about that?"  
  
"You see-"  
  
"I actually prefer not to live in the past."  
  
"I see."  
  
*You can take that as a, 'I wish I never met her.'* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nigel sat down at the table. His thoughts were on the question that 'Kayonie' asked previously that day. Of course he missed Kuki. The tree house was quiet without her. They were all lost without her, especially Wallabee.  
  
"What's eatin' you?" Abby asked taking a seat next to him.  
  
"Nothing." Abby glared at him. "Numbuh 3 asked her infamous question today."  
  
"Oh. And what did you say?"  
  
"I told her that I prefer not to live in the past."  
  
"Wrong answer." Abby mumbled.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nuttin.'"  
  
"Mmhhmm."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: That's it folks.  
  
4: At least it's over.  
  
Demon: Sry I sux so much.  
  
4: That's alright.  
  
Demon: Shuddap #4. I have your diary and I'm not afraid to use it. ::Big smile::  
  
4: :Immediately shuts up:: 


	11. Eaves droppings never done any good

A/N: Thanks reviewers!  
  
Demon: ::pleased:: I have 103 reviews ^_^  
  
4: T'at's alota reviews fo' such a cruddy story!  
  
Demon: I no ^_~thanks to those of you who've reviewed in the past and present! Ur all so kind! ::Begins to cry out of happiness::  
  
4: uhhh... O.k.?  
  
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Ch.11- Eaves droppings never done any good.  
  
Abby starred at the colorful calendar that occupied a small spot on the wall close to her bed. She couldn't take her eyes off it. A shiver ran it's way up and down her spine.  
  
Once pleasant dreams were now haunted with nightmares. The threat the monotone voices had promised to fulfill was slowly eating at her.  
  
'Two more days...' She told herself, absentmindedly she began to play with the blue silk. A hand gently placed itself on Abby's shoulder and she shook away the friendly gesture.  
  
"Don't worry." Nigel whispered to his long time friend.  
  
Abby shook her head and turned away, the promise of tears evident in her eyes. "Numbuh 5 dun wanna obey no stinking adults." Her own voice had lost its usual cheer. The last couple of days she hadn't teased Wallabee, hung out with 'Kayonie', or even tormented Hoagie while he'd work on one of his newest inventions.  
  
"Nothing's going to happen." He assured her, placing his hand back on her shoulder. This time she didn't shake it away.  
  
"Numbuh 5's scared." She admitted looking up at him. He gave one of his sincerest smiles.  
  
"I know... We all are." She smiled at him just before he left. Nigel leaned against the door allowing a sigh to escape through his lips. "I'm worried about her."  
  
"She'll be o.k." Kuki whispered sitting down next to him.  
  
"I'm just a bit worried about her."  
  
"A bit?!" Kuki laughed quietly while rolling her eyes. "I'd say you're more worried about her than she is about our little threat."  
  
"It just pains me to see her this way." Nigel bowed his head, burying himself in his legs.  
  
Kuki's expressions changed. She looked at him with pity. "I'm sorry. If it's any constellation, I know exactly how you feel. "  
  
Nigel turned his head to look at her in confusion. "You do?" He asked in interest.  
  
Kuki nodded with a small smile grazing her lips. "It tears at you to see the ones you love act like the worlds against them. Just remember Numbuh 1, you can always talk to me, your not alone."  
  
Nigel chuckled. "Perhaps you should be telling this to Numbuh 5. She needs all the cheering up she can get. The carnival just came into town." He said, something clicked in his mind. "Hey!" He exclaimed as an idea came to him. "Why don't all of us go together. It'll take her mind off of it. "  
  
With another nod Kuki pulled herself onto her feet. "Your right!" She agreed, triumphantly. Nigel got up on his own feet.  
  
"I must attend to some business." He stated walking away.  
  
Kuki stuck her tongue out at his retreating form before calling out: "You just don't want anyone seeing you sulk over Numbuh 5!"  
  
"SO?!" He called back. Kuki giggled.  
  
'They make a cute couple.' She noted to herself, with another giggle as she entered through the metal door.  
  
Abby's head lifted as the entryway slammed shut. "Hi Numbuh 3." She greeted hoarsely.  
  
"Look at you!" Kuki professed as Abby blinked, not comprehending what she meant. Kuki frowned. "I'm the one who should be all sad and sulking around like tomorrow's not coming. You're stealing my job!"  
  
"Girl, if memory serves me right you were the one yelling at the top of your lungs any chance ya got. Numbuh 5 was the quiet one." The dark girl pointed out.  
  
"That was then, this is now." Kuki countered.  
  
"It was just like yesterday..." Abby teased pretending to daydream. "... You were saying anything that came to your mind. Numbuh 2 was being Numbuh 2-" She was interrupted by Kuki.  
  
"Of course he was being Numbuh 2. Who else? George Clooney?"  
  
"What Numbuh 5 was trying to say before being rudely interrupted." She glared jokingly at Kuki. "Numbuh 2 was like he always is. Creating things, dreaming about flying to forgein lands and what not. The only difference is he loves that idiotic girl Luzzie, now."  
  
"You know very well that her name is Lizzie!" Kuki chastised.  
  
"Whateva."  
  
"You don't have to be jealous just because she's going out with Numbuh 1."  
  
"Numbuh 5 dun get jealous."  
  
"Course you do. And you blush when Numbuh 1's around. You write his name on every piece of paper." She continued rambling on.  
  
"Your not any betta when it comes to Numbuh 4." She mumbled, irritated.  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"Are too! Anyway, the olden days...Numbuh 1 was just as cute er- busy as he always was. And then finally our hotheaded friend, Numbuh 4. Yes, he used to stare at a certain girl for the longest time, day in and day out. Always protected her from harm. The sweetest thing."  
  
"Who was it?" Questioned a jealous Kuki. She obviously didn't realize it was her.  
  
The entryway reopened and shut allowing Wallabee to enter. Both girls turned in startlement.  
  
"Oh Numbuh 4! We were just talkin' about you." Abby said slyly catching the short glare from Kuki.  
  
"Numbuh 1 wanted me ter check on ya and see if everything was alright. Looks like it," The Aussie muttered, about to leave.  
  
"Wait Numbuh 4! Maybe you can settle an argument 'tween Numbuh 3 and Numbuh 5."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Numbuh 3 wanted to know what it used to be like back before the otha Numbuh 3 left."  
  
"And t'e argument was...?"  
  
"Well, Numbuh 3 dun think you miss Kuki. Numbuh 5 told her she was sadly mistaken. Maybe you can clarify the details." Abby looked up innocently at the ceiling as a bright red Kuki starred angrily and a blushing Wallabee watched the floor with much interest.  
  
"I-"  
  
"Numbuh 4!" Hoagie yelled from another room. Wallabee turned around thankful.  
  
"Yeah!" He called back.  
  
"I need your help with something."  
  
"Yeah, sure." He muttered dully, much like he always did.  
  
"Dang!" Abby slammed her fist on the bedpost. She winced as the pain shot through her hand. "Numbuh 5's gonna kill Numbuh 2!" She produced a pen from her pants pocket and penciled it in on her calendar.  
  
Kuki couldn't help but laugh. "I dunno. I'm kind of glad he did that." She admitted fidgeting with the hem of her bright green sweater.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
"Your afraid he'll say he doesn't care and you'll neva be able to live with it."  
  
"...No..."  
  
"Admit it! Numbuh 4 means more to you then you'll eva let on. His answer means a whole lot more than any of us."  
  
"Yes and yes." Kuki admitted it. Abby would have found out anyway.  
  
Abby smiled widely pumping her fist in the air. "Numbuh 5 knew it! You like Numbuh 4! You like Numbuh 4!" She chanted over and over again.  
  
"You like Numbuh 1." Kuki added confidently. Abby stopped immediately.  
  
"I hate you." She muttered crossing her arms and leaning on the wall.  
  
"Get out of bed." Kuki demanded.  
  
"Why?" Abby questioned. She pulled tighter on the sheets.  
  
"We're going to have some fun for a while."  
  
"Where?"  
  
Kuki smiled. She had wanted Abby to ask that. "Anywhere. Everywhere. As long as we have some fun."  
  
"Can I bring Numbuh 1?"  
  
Kuki rolled her eyes for the third time in an hour. "It was his idea." Abby jumped out of bed as quick as she was able to.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was rare when the carnival was in town. It came once every two years. But it was something to look forward to.  
  
There were roller coasters and games. Many stands lined the back area where people sold food and other goods.  
  
Abby bit the blue softness of the cotton candy, which Nigel had graciously paid for. Her smile brightened on her face as she walked on happily next to Nigel.  
  
"Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked her kindly.  
  
She nodded enthusiastically. "Hmmm mank fu mery mucch. Mmmm." She said in between bites.  
  
Nigel chuckled. "Your welcome."  
  
"Bunch of crummy mush." Wallabee whispered.  
  
"Well at least they like eachother. It won't end in heartbreak."  
  
"They're both so oblivious to how the other feels it's pathetic. (like me!^_^)" Hoagie shook his head.  
  
"Don't try an' get mixed up in t'eir love affairs." Wallabee warned.  
  
"All they need is that little push in the right direction..."  
  
Something was saying not to, but something louder was yelling at him to do so. A sly smile rounded on Hoagie's face. "You mean like you two?"  
  
The two scarlet kids turned to him. "What are you talking about?" They chorused only turning them both redder.  
  
"Well your both oblivious to the fact that you two have feelings for each other." Hoagie stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Er- I think I'll go hang out with Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 5." Kuki quickly ran to Abby and Nigel who were about to go onto the scrambler.  
  
"I think she likes you." Hoagie began to chow down on his own cotton candy.  
  
"Who cares?" Wallabee pulled out his CD player from his hood's pocket.  
  
"You do."  
  
"No I don't... The only t'in' I eva cared 'bout left." He snapped putting the headphones around his neck.  
  
Hoagie shook his head for the second time due to some people's stupidity. "Get over it. Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'There are more fish in the sea'? It's very obvious that Numbuh 3 likes you and you like her. I mean if you spend your whole life waiting for someone who may never come back your gonna grow up and die alone."  
  
Wallabee shrugged like it was nothing.  
  
"Your going to rot!"  
  
Placing the headphones on his ears, Wallabee responded: "Let the rotting begin," and clicked 'play'.  
  
Rolling his eyes Hoagie spotted his red haired friend. "Oh hi Lizzie!" He yelled running towards her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Abby sat down at the picnic bench and grabbed her head tightly. "Someone make the room stop spinning, please?" She asked, dazed.  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't have gone on the tea cups." Nigel picked up one of his fries and dipped it in his ketchup. "You could have told us you get dizzy."  
  
"Usually it takes a lot to make Numbuh 5 dizzy." She explained.  
  
"True." Nigel looked up as the Aussie approached and sat down next to Kuki.  
  
"Where's Numbuh 2?" Kuki questioned when the plump boy did not come.  
  
Wallabee clicked pause. "Went with Lizzie." And after that said he resumed listening to music.  
  
Kuki gulped knowing what problems this may cause. Abby and her turned to find Nigel eating, not caring that his 'girlfriend' and best friend was out, alone, at the carnival.  
  
"What?!" Nigel asked catching the girls stare.  
  
"Numbuh 5 thought you'd go kill Numbuh 2 by now."  
  
"I already told you, I broke up with Lizzie. There's someone else I'm very fond of..." He eyed her.  
  
"Oh yeah. That's right..." Abby murmured. Kuki smiled, knowingly. Abby grabbed a fry from Nigel. "Numbuh 5's gunna find out sooner or later." She threaten trying her best to smile.  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
"Numbuh 4, wanna leave these love birds alone and check out the games?" She asked as he nodded vigorously.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kuki pointed at the dart game. "I used to love that game!"  
  
Wallabee muttered something and Kuki swore she heard her name. "What was that?"  
  
He shook his head. "Not'in'" the way he said it and stared at the ground made Kuki believe that it was more than 'nothing' but she slowly shook it away.  
  
"Wanna play some games?" She offered. He didn't respond at all and she just took it that he wasn't paying attention. "Fine. You stay here and I'll go play." She quickly turned on her heels and left to one of the games.  
  
She placed the dart eye level so she was able to the distance clearly. Pulling it back a bit more she released it towards her target. She gave a pleasant yell as the popping off the balloon rang in her ears.  
  
Wallabee sighed as he leaned on the counter. His Walkman lay abandoned next to him.  
  
"I see you got a new girl." Kuki heard the familiar voice overlap her joy. She was all to certain that it was Lizzie.  
  
"Yeah..." She heard Hoagie all to clear.  
  
Kuki placed down the dart in her hand to listen more intently.  
  
"Is she nice?"  
  
"Yeah. She's really nice." Hoagie said confidently.  
  
Kuki smiled. At least they liked her new self. But did they like her oldself?  
  
"Do you like her?" Lizzie's voice sounded a bit depressed.  
  
"I like her...but not like that." Hoagie said to Lizzie's gratitude.  
  
"So- what's she like?"  
  
"Are ya gonna hit the t'ing or what?" Wallabee asked. Though the statement was probably out of annoyance, his voice didn't sound much like it.  
  
Kuki blinked a bit and sighed, bringing up the dart. As she poised she went back to listening the discussion which she was sure was going on somewhere behind her.  
  
"She's really cool! She's a lot like Numbuh 3 though..." Hoagie's sentence seemed to drift off.  
  
"So I take it that you..." Their voices began to fade. "... Don't miss Kuki that much. Huh?"  
  
"Yeah-" but that was the last of their conversation that she heard as their voices disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Kuki released her grip and the popping of the balloon was louder than before. This time she didn't get excited nor when she was presented with the white tiger. She just stood there, knowing she had gotten another answer.  
  
'Three down... One to go...' Her eyes peered at Wallabee as they walked back to meet the others.  
  
*And it'll be like all the others, Kuki.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The part of Lizzie's and Hoagie's conversation Kuki didn't hear...  
  
Hoagie had to make his way through the people before he caught back up with Lizzie, panting. "Like I was saying." He gulped to let the air go through quicker. " I was going to say: Yeah right. This new girl is really cool and all but she's really nothing compared to the old one.  
  
"And I pity Numbuh 4. I mean he loved Numbuh 3 so much. He never got to tell and one day she leaves without a word of any kind. It's sort of sad if you think about it."  
  
"I guess there's no such thing as replacing a friend."  
  
"Nope. But I'm just as sure as Numbuh 4 that she'll come back. I'm not sure when or how but she will."  
  
"And what about the new one." Hoagie hadn't thought that far.  
  
"I'm not sure." He admitted a while latter. "But thing's will be happy again and Numbuh 4 will be his oldself again."  
  
"When Kuki comes back, does that mean you'll forget about me?"  
  
Hoagie smiled at her. "I could never forget about you Lizzie." She smiled up at him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: sooo... That's Ch.11. Hope ya liked! And strangely I added in some 2/Lizzie 0_o Not a big Lizzie fan though.  
  
Angel: Nothing snotty to say to #4 or #1?  
  
Demon: Strangely no... So thanks reviewers and I hope u guys enjoy this Ch. Thanks buh-bye!^^  
  
4: Thank god! 


	12. Perhaps

A/N: Thanks reviewers!!!^^ (who else is sick of this beginning thing eh?)  
  
Demon: Well here's Ch.12 ^_^ dun wry just a bit more of #3's suffering and then it'll be a happy ending ^_~  
  
Thanks to: Pweney16 cuz Pweney WAS the 1 to have the idea for this fic^^ so thank u very much ^_______^. Most credit goes to Pweney fo' the idea, the machine that makes kids turn into adult dronez thingies^_^, and lotsa otha stuff.  
  
4: Let's just get on with it...  
  
Demon: Heh talk to me like that and it means a whole lot more ¾ness in this Ch.  
  
4: ::Shuts up::  
  
Demon: ::To herself:: There was gunna be some 3/4ness in here newayz ::Shrugs::  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ch.12- Perhaps...  
  
She ran her hand against the metal that she had once called a friend. The inanimate object seemed to glimmer in the light that seeped in through the pale shades. She murmured the name of the robot, as all it did was stare blankly ahead. "Hippie hop." The eyes glowed a strange red but she missed it as the lights were switched on.  
  
"What are ya doin' 'ere?" Wallabee questioned as he stepped in.  
  
Kuki looked up at the large machine. "Maybe I should ask you the same thing."  
  
"I dunno." He smiled lightly. "I just like it 'ere I guess."  
  
"I see. But why here?"  
  
He didn't respond to the question this time. Instead he followed her gaze up at the gigantic robotic bunny. "Answer mah question first."  
  
"And that would be..." She said to save her some time as she debated which excuse she could use to have found the place.  
  
"Why are ya 'ere?" He repeated.  
  
"No reason..." She began. "I just went looking around and found this. It's a pretty neat machine, eh?" She tried at making a conversation.  
  
"Numbuh 3 used to pilot it..." He looked down guiltily at his feet. He sighed as he tried not to reminisce at that moment. He could do that later. In fact that was all he did.  
  
"Really?" She asked even if she already knew that.  
  
"Yeah... But it neva did that much good..." He glared at the machine. It had never really saved them much. Infact all it had ever done was get smashed. The only people it had defeated was of course them. Wallabee never like the machine. Not because of that but because whenever it blew up, or was smashed, Kuki had always been inside of it... He didn't like seeing her get hurt, ever.  
  
Kuki giggled, as the robot seemed to scowl in protest. "I don't think Hippie Hop likes it when you say that."  
  
"I-" He stopped. "'Ow didcha know it's name?"  
  
Kuki froze solid not knowing what to do or say. "er- Numbuh 5 told me?" She guessed, showing a 'please believe me,' smile.  
  
He nodded, thinking it over for a second.  
  
"But don't you think it's design or programming or anything is neat?!" She questioned.  
  
He waved her off. "Ya sound like Numbuh 2 when ya say that." He gave the robot another look over. "I guess so... A bit. But I still dun like it."  
  
"Oh well." She shrugged it off.  
  
"Do ya eva miss it?" he asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Miss what?" She asked. Taken by surprise at the sudden question.  
  
"Yer old house, place, or whatevah ya wanna call it, do ya miss it t'ere?"  
  
Kuki sighed. "Sometimes." She admitted.  
  
"What makes ya miss it?"  
  
Kuki blushed. "Certain things."  
  
"Certain..."  
  
"People..." She turned away to hide her burned face.  
  
Wallabee sighed. "What kind of people?"  
  
"What's with the sudden interest." Kuki countered.  
  
"Just..." He stopped mid-sentence and looked towards the ground.  
  
"Why, Numbuh 4?" She asked.  
  
"T'ink Numbuh 3 will come back?"  
  
Kuki looked at him startled. A stripe of pink graced her faced. 'Does he mean what I hope he means?'  
  
*Don't be silly Kuki!* The voice chastised her. It seemed to be louder than it usually was.  
  
'But-'  
  
*Don't be foolish!* It mocked.  
  
"I dunno." She said innocently. "Why do you want her to come back?!" Kuki giggled despite the feeling. She smiled at him playfully but he never looked up.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Abby had been looking for Kuki for a while now. She had a plan on how to get Wallabee to confess. It had actually been a plan that she had for some time now, only Kuki had ran away before she could put this plan of hers into action.  
  
She sighed as she came to one place that she had not checked. Turning the brass knob of she opened the door, only to be greeted by he talk of the two kids that stood by the robot, Hippie Hop.  
  
Abigail laughed quietly, as so not to disturb them. "She just may doin' better than Numbuh 5's plan." With a shake of her head to rid herself of that impossible thought she closed the door and walked away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Yer kiddin'," He began. Wallabee shifted uncomfortably.  
  
The voice laughed sinisterly in Kuki's mind. She averted her gaze to stare disappointedly, like a child unable to obtain a doll, at the floor. "Guess I was." She whispered. Before he could say anything she had already walked out.  
  
Wallabee placed his head on his arms, which lay on the iron railing. "I loved 'er. And I still do..." He sighed into the silence of the room.  
  
Hippie's Hop's eyes, once again, seemed to gleam a darkened red.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kuki violently wiped a crystal tear that tried to fall down her cheek.  
  
"Oh hey Numbuh 3!" Abby called out cheerfully. Kuki stopped in the doorway. She turned to her friend with her fake smile.  
  
"H-hi Numbuh 5." She said lees enthusiastically than Abby had.  
  
"Numbuh 5 saw you wit Numbuh 4!" She grinned.  
  
"So."  
  
"So?!" Abby exclaimed like it was the biggest deal in the universe. "Didcha get his answer?!"  
  
Kuki nodded, trying to hold back a sob. Why did it hurt? She didn't feel this way when the others had given her their answers... So why did it feel like someone was slowly ripping out her heart?!  
  
'Because you love him.'  
  
"Something wrong?" Abby questioned her sudden sadness.  
  
"He asked me if it was a joke." Kuki whimpered walked by Abby.  
  
Abby stood still for a second before quickly turning. "Maybe you took it the wrong way!" Abby reasoned. There was no way in hell that Wallabee didn't want her back.  
  
Kuki stopped just before the door. "I know when I'm not wanted." Her voice was quiet and a bit dark. Abby opened her mouth to say something but quickly decided against it.  
  
It would be best to let her cool off. In a few minutes she would be back to her normal self again. She was sure of it.  
  
Just not right...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kuki walked out of her room. It was dark now. It was probably eleven or something, she knew everyone must have been asleep.  
  
She sighed as she looked at the door with the large '4' painted on. A smile played on her lips. 'Why?' She thought sadly.  
  
*Don't base your life on questions Kuki. Something's are left unasked. Go on, leave. I told you he never cared. And look whom doubted me?*  
  
Kuki sighed once more. Turning back around she walked as quietly as she could. A few floorboards creaked under her weight, but that was all. She stood poised for a second. 'Goodbye, again.' And walked out through the door.  
  
A figure leaned against the wall in the darkness. It said and did nothing else. Just starred where the girl had once been.  
  
After a while it turned to look out the window just to catch a small glimpse of Kuki running down the street.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Numbuh 3!" Abby called out the next morning. She wanted to see if Kuki was over it already and willing to ask Wallabee again to get the REAL answer.  
  
"Stop screaming Numbuh 5! You're giving me a headache." Hoagie held his head lightly as Abby continued calling for the Asian girl.  
  
"Numbuh 3!" Abby called out again, just as she peeked her head into the lounge. (heh I still dun no what it is ^^.). She saw Wallabee sitting on the windowsill. He was obviously startled by her screaming.  
  
"What do ya want?" He asked turning away.  
  
"Have you seen Numbuh 3? Numbuh 5 swears I've looked everywhere!"  
  
"S'e's not 'ere" Wallabee informed her.  
  
Abby looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, she's not here?!"  
  
"t'at day on t'e plane, ya said t'at Numbuh 3 was like Kuki, rememba?"  
  
Abby nodded. "Yeah, Numbuh 5 remembas. What about it?"  
  
"You were right," he admitted.  
  
"Your not makin' any sense Numbuh 4."  
  
"Their a lot a like. You were right about it. Kuki left last year. Numbuh 3 left last night."  
  
Abby narrowed her eyes. "Are you positive Numbuh 4?" She asked, not believing a word he said.  
  
"Wish I weren't." He whispered. He leaned his head on the glass and starred at the cloudy sky.  
  
"Numbuh 4 if your jokin' Numbuh 5'll-" She stopped mid-sentence as she saw his saddened features. "Never mind."  
  
"Funny... Kuki once said t'at I didn't undastand what it was like ter loose someone ya love, but s'e left... I lost 'er. I t'oug't I coulda opened up ter Numbuh 3, I mean I didn't love 'er like t'at, t'ere was jus' suttin' 'bout 'er. But s'e left too."  
  
Abby starred at him, pity reflecting in her chocolate brown eyes. "It's o.k. Numbuh 4. I'm sure things will work out in the end." She tried to reassure her friend with a small smile. She exited the room and heaved a sigh. "Poor guy." She whispered underneath her breath.  
  
She pulled away from the door and walked down the stairs. As she reached the bottom she held out her hand to open the door. But as soon as she touched the cold brass the alarms sounded. Biting her lip Abby decided she'd look later, her job would have to come first.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kuki sat on the curve. She sniffled.So exactly why was this hurting so much? She had just gone through the same thing a while ago.  
  
Did god hate her that much?  
  
*Everyone hates you Kuki.*  
  
"Then why don't you just leave?!" Her mind hissed at the voice. "Don't you hate me?!"  
  
*I don't hate you, Kuki, what would ever give you that idea?*  
  
She wiped another tear. "Gee I dunno. Your always being mean... Always sayin' no one cares... I wonder how I got that idea." She said sarcastically.  
  
*I'm only protecting you from getting hurt even more.*  
  
'"It was better NOT knowing! Why am I talking to myself?!" She grabbed her head in frustration.  
  
*Well, look at the bright side Kuki.*  
  
"What bright side?"  
  
*You'll never see those awful kids again... Especially that Wallabee kid.* The voice said his name like it was pure poison.  
  
"But... I want to see Numbuh 4...."  
  
*But does he want to se you?*  
  
Kuki couldn't answer that. She just could hope she'd wake from this nightmare. Wake up one year ago when none of this had happened.  
  
In the back of her mind hope grew. Hope, that Abby had been right about her possibly taking it the wrong way...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I'm getting fed up with her taking everything the wrong way!  
  
Angel: But your writing the story...  
  
Demon: Thank gd that was the last time though!  
  
4: Ya juat gave suttin' away!  
  
Demon: And your point...  
  
4: Neva mind.  
  
Demon: Okie dokie ^_______________^ Newayz sry about the delay. And since I believe Saturday was it? I've been thinking about how I was gunna say this: WHO THE HECK CARES ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR AND YOU'RE!!!!!! ::visibly calms down:: I'm better^_____________^  
  
Angel+1+4: 0_o'  
  
Demon: Sry 'bout that but I hate it when I'm corrected about some stupid writing thing! ::Sighs:: So sry about that guys. Another delay thing is because 1 of mah teachers just came back after like... I dunno 4 months! And I've been sadly awaiting his arrival and he came back 2day so I'm really sad -_- I hate all teachers, there was a mob scene by his class room door o_0 It was scary and hilarious at the same time! But I won't bore you w/ the details ^^  
  
Peace, love, happiness, and a hell lot more ¾ to come up in the future ^^  
  
4: DAMMIT!!!!!!!! 


	13. Making Decisions

A/N: ...  
  
Demon: ...  
  
Angel: Silent today?  
  
Demon: Check out Operation: H.U.R.T Please?  
  
4: So much fo' silence --;;  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ch.13- Making decisions  
  
Kuki sighed as she threw another pebble into the street. The footsteps behind her indicated the people walking to and fro'.  
  
Nobody stopped to ask if she was all right and by what the voice had said, 'no one cares,' was the only excuse she had.  
  
It was the second time she fled from her home. Maybe she could have stayed this time, started all over again. But then again they would have found out eventually.  
  
So why didn't she go back to the restaurant? No... She didn't want to see Brian, or even face the old memories of Lena...  
  
Lena had taken care of her when she was hurt and down. But god had bigger plans and had taken Lena away, far away. Like everybody else. It wasn't fair!  
  
So she was left on the curve. She knew she wouldn't be so fortunate this time to have someone come by. This time she'd have to be alone. Was there no end to the torture that was constantly following her?  
  
She had once been happy, it wasn't that long ago, either. Kuki remembered being ditzy and clumsy and not caring about it. She was accepted by everyone, excepted by Wallabee.  
  
Why did he matter so much anyway? Was it because...  
  
'I love him...' She found herself thinking.  
  
*How can you be so sure love exists?* The voice inquired  
  
Kuki, strangely, smiled at this. 'It's one of those things you just know. No questions asked.'  
  
She brought her legs to her chest. She had to feel a bit proud. It was obvious that she had won that battle. But the war was yet to come...  
  
Kuki felt a small stab in her heart. She tilted her head in confusion. 'Strange...'  
  
*mmmm?*  
  
'It feels like something's wrong.'  
  
*Don't be silly!* the voice laughed lightly.  
  
There was silence along the street and then all at once something snapped her out of it. It was like a low growl. Kuki's head perked up to look around at the familiarity. She was only met with questioning gazes.  
  
It sounded again. She pulled back a bit of her sleeve to see the watch on her hand. It was shaped like a bunny. The color was a light pink and a baby blue light was emitting from it. Kuki's eyes widened.  
  
It was the watch she had used to communicate with Hippie Hop most of the time. She hadn't realized, until this moment, that she was still wearing it. If any of the others had seen it before her cover would have been blown a while ago...  
  
"Hippie Hop?" Kuki asked as the light began to fade a bit.  
  
There was a grumble as the reply.  
  
"What's going on?" Why hadn't Hippie Hop contacted her in the beginning?! Why was she/he now calling her? She wasn't making any sense of it.  
  
Hippie Hops roar was heard from the watch. Kuki narrowed her eyes.  
  
"What was that last thing?" Kuki was the only person to ever understand Hippie Hop's language. It was like a connection of some sort.  
  
The robot's 'voice' began to fade as it finished off what it had to do.  
  
Kuki sat in utter horror. "No..." She whispered. "They- It can't- No!" she yelled at the watch jumping to her feet. Random people walking by began to trot as fast as they could.  
  
Kuki shook her head. "It's a joke, right?" She questioned the watch, but no voice or even the slightest static met her ears. "It's true." Kuki concluded sitting back on the curve. She brought her hands to cover her face. Slowly they pulled away and she was forced to stare straight a head at the gravel.  
  
"But it's not possible...Them of all people?" She murmured to herself. She violently wiped tears away from her burning eyes. "Why?" There was no answer to her question but the bossy voice decided to take control at that moment.  
  
*What has happened?*  
  
'The others... They were sent on a mission... To stop the Delightful Children...It was a trap, they were all taken down...'  
  
*Perhaps this is because of you...*  
  
'How is this my fault!' Kuki argued.  
  
*Because you weren't there to help them!*  
  
'But you told me to run!' Kuki countered.  
  
*And you listened Kuki, you ran and nobody forced you to.* Kuki looked guiltily at the floor. It was her actions, yes. But was it her fault? Could she actually blame herself only because she had run? Because she followed her instincts?  
  
Maybe...  
  
'No!' Another voice shouted.  
  
*Of course it is.* The voice said calmly and confidently.  
  
'You can't blame yourself for something you didn't do! None of it is your fault!'  
  
Kuki held her throbbing head. 'STOP IT BEFORE YOU DRIVE ME MAD!'  
  
The second voice seemed to stop right then in there but the first kept on going.  
  
*Your fathers accident...Your mother's death... Lena's car accident... And now your so-called friends capture.... Look at what you're doing to everyone Kuki! Your destroying everything that's dear to you! Don't you see it?!*  
  
'Leave me alone!' Her mind shrieked. Was this what it was like when people went mad!?  
  
*Oh Kuki, are you still denying it?* The voice continued taunting. Kuki closed her eyes tightly and she hummed to herself, trying to block out the voice. *Your mother always sang that, didn't she Kuki? Up until her death... That was your favorite song, no?*  
  
Kuki just continued humming. She wasn't going to give into the voice this time. No. She'd fight back... Or run from it at least.  
  
*Come on Kuki, you know that I'm always right about everything and everyone.*  
  
'GO AWAY!'  
  
*You see it don't you?*  
  
'No...'  
  
*Your 'friends' are probably suffering in some rusty old cell and it's all because of you!*  
  
Kuki's head lowered. 'Then perhaps it's time I redeem myself.' Her mind whispered as she stood up from her perch on the curve.  
  
*And how do you suppose your going to do that?*  
  
Kuki smirked as she made her way through the endless crowd. 'You'll see...'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
*Why are you here?!* The voice screamed urgently in her head.  
  
She didn't bother giving the voice an explanation. It didn't matter. The voice was always pestering her, driving her insane, maybe if she forgot it existed it wouldn't bother her anymore. Like Wallabee had said once...  
  
She kneeled down on the floor in order to pick up the scattered objects that littered this certain area of the tree house. She packed it all into a jade colored book bag, which by now was practically, full. She smiled to herself knowing what it all meant.  
  
Finally, she zippered up the bag and threw it over her back. It was extremely heavy and she winced as its weight pulled her down.  
  
Her eyes scanned for anything else that she may need, but finding nothing, she turned off the lights and exited the room.  
  
Kuki stopped just outside of the control room. Allowing the bag to slide off her shoulder she made her way to the large computer that inhabited the quarters.  
  
Her fingers hesitated just above the keyboard. She had seen Numbuh 1 do this a hundred times and she knew exactly what to do. She wasn't as dense as everyone thought she was...  
  
Her fingers dance over the letters quickly. As she punched in the last of the code and clicked 'ENTER' a familiar face appeared.  
  
"Good afternoon Numbuh 1." Numbuh 274 said, though it was only a recording. "We have received news that The Delightful Children are using a machine to make kids obey adults. It's your job to stop them.  
  
They're located within the abandoned were house (abandoned were houses are so over done oh well!) just a few blocks away. Good luck! Numbuh 274 over and out." And the screen fell into a blur of static before it went blank.  
  
"That's what they meant by being relocated." She's whispered to herself, picking up the heavy load once more and making her way out into the cloudy and foggy day.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Numbuh 5 knew we should have snuck in." The usually quiet one hissed, glaring deadly at Hoagie.  
  
He laughed nervously. "Heh, sorry?" He was only met with the glares of Nigel and Abigail. He turned away to escape them.  
  
Wallabee sighed. It was pretty much useless to escape from their prison. They had been tied to chairs to keep them from stopping the Delightful Children From Down The Lane. They'd been held like that for hours now without any signs that they'd be let free.  
  
The others had struggled, but now the saw the uselessness of it as well.  
  
"Pipe down you inferior Kids Next Door!" The Delightful Children From Down The Lane sneered. With anticipation they turned back to their machine. "Father will be quiet pleased with my work. Soon, Kids Next Door, all naughty children such as you will being formally respecting adults." Their eyes widened with the vision of their so called 'glorious' future.  
  
Abby growled. "If Numbuh 5 got her hands on them..." Her sentence trailed off as she made a fist in the children's direction before putting it back behind the chair that held her fast. And then it began to sink in...  
  
She brought her hands back out in front of her, examining them in silent awe. The ropes, which had once tied her down, were cut loose from her hands. "Hey Numbuh -"  
  
"Sshh." A presence made itself known by the quiet hiss.  
  
Abby blinked and looked behind her to see Kuki, almost cutting through the ropes that bound her ankles. Abby sat in confusion for a second longer. "Numbuh 3?! What in the world are you doin' here?" Abby exclaimed in a whispered, trying not to attract the attention of the others.  
  
"Helping. What does it look like?" She whispered back, a bit harshly.  
  
"How'd you get in here anyway?" Abby inquired as she sat like nothing was going on. Kuki's knife finally broke through.  
  
"I snuck in." she replied simply. She quietly inched towards the next chair, Nigel's. Her knife quickly cut through. "As soon as I finish Numbuh 4's..." She glanced over at the boy just a few chairs away. "I want you all to get out of here."  
  
Nigel nodded in comprehension, still looking to the front of the room.  
  
She smiled as the last rope that held Hoagie was cut. That meant one more was left...  
  
She gulped and slyly made her way over to his chair. Kneeling down she began the same routine. He eyed her.  
  
"Why did ya came back?"  
  
"I heard you guys needed some help." She explained.  
  
"You didn't 'ave ter come back, you know." His gaze went back to stare angrily at the Delightful Dorks.  
  
"I know."  
  
"T'en why did ya?"  
  
She hesitated for a second. "It didn't seem right to just leave you guys here. And I couldn't let the dorks get away with turning the kids into parent obeying drones now could I?" She smiled innocently at him. She tore the ropes apart freeing their captive.  
  
"T'anks." He whispered, rubbing his wrist from the burn.  
  
"No problem." She said simply. "Now you guys got to get out of here." She commanded slowly getting to her feet.  
  
"Right!" Hoagie said a bit too loud...  
  
"I said pipe-" the children turned sharply. Their sentence stopped just as they saw the kids stand up. "How in the-" once again their voices failed as they spotted Kuki. "You little brat how did you get in here?!"  
  
"That's for me to know." Kuki said in a sly voice. She motioned towards the exit. " Get out of here guys. I'll take care of them."  
  
"Are you sure?" Nigel asked. She nodded. "O.k. Lets go team." Nigel said making way to the exit, followed by Hoagie.  
  
"Numbuh 3..." Abby said placing a hand on her shoulder. Kuki tensed for a second and then relax.  
  
"I'll be fine Numbuh 5." She reassured her friend.  
  
"Then Numbuh 5'll see ya outside."  
  
"I'll be sure to make a comment on you and Numbuh 1 so don't worry."  
  
The comment made a red Abigail dash toward the large doors. Kuki's smile faintly disappeared. 'The last time I'll see any of them. I didn't even get to say good bye to Wallabee...'  
  
With teary eyes she turned back to the annoyed dorks. "Ready to crash and burn?" She had heard Wallabee use it once.  
  
The children laughed cruelly. "Do you really think you can beat me?" The monotone voices droned.  
  
"'Course I can." Kuki said confidently.  
  
'I just have to distract them a bit longer.' She told herself.  
  
The children's laughter continued. "You have a lot of spunk there Kayonie and Wallace."  
  
Kuki froze as they said that name. It began to register in her mind, and she realized that she wasn't the only one there.  
  
Kuki turned around to see the blonde still standing behind her, unmoving.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Demon: AHA another chapter up! Sorry guys but the last few weeks have been hactic and I went camping w/ no way to get a computer to pload or write mah story. So I'm vry sorry.  
  
4: I 'ate ya.  
  
Demon: Where the hell did that come from?!  
  
4: t'e Trut'  
  
Demon: ::mummbling:: yeah wuteva boxer boy V_V  
  
4: ::growls::  
  
Angel: ^^;;  
  
Demon: Well also I wanna apoligize for there not being any romance really in this ch ^^' but dun worry the next ch will have a lot! I mean a lot ¾ ^_^ and also for this story not being so good -_- but thanx u all for ur support and grat comments ^^ c ya real soon! 


	14. Confessions and Actions

A/N: sry guys, I had writters block --;; but I hope the chapter makes up for the wait ^^  
  
Demon: yeah, it better   
  
4: yer writtin' it!  
  
Demon: ...oh yeah...  
  
4: ::sighs and shakes head::  
  
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CH. 14- Confessions and Actions  
  
Kuki turned to look behind her, only to confirm her suspicion. Wallabee stood, planted to the ground, unmoving.  
  
"What are you still doing here Numbuh 4?!" She screeched at him. Why hadn't he left? She cursed him lightly in her mind. He always had to be stubborn like this, didn't he?  
  
"It's mah fight jus' as much as it is yours," he hissed lightly at her.  
  
"Quit bein' stubborn, Numbuh 4, and leave!"  
  
"I'm not bein' stubborn," he crossed his arms.  
  
The Delightful Children from Down the Lane looked at each other with the same hint of boredom. If this 'new' girl was anything like Numbuh 3, they would be here a while.  
  
"Yes you are!" That confirmed the Delightful's opinion. She was going to fight until she came out the victor.  
  
"But t'at ain't t'e point! I'm stayin' 'ere Numbuh 3, I'm gonna beat the Delightful dorks, and I ain't leavin'!"  
  
Kuki allowed a sigh to escape through her lips. She would have loved Wallabee to stay, but... She couldn't risk his life. She turned away to look at the floor. Her eyes were covered by the darkness of her hat and bangs, making it impossible to see what she might be feeling.  
  
"Can't you just listen to me? It's for your own good!" She glared daggers at him, catching him a bit off guard.  
  
"What do you mean by t'at?"  
  
Kuki's brow furrowed. "Can't you just trust me?"  
  
There was a long silence, in which the Delightful's all rolled their eyes. They could have activated the machine, but watching them fight was too much fun.  
  
"I dunno," he admitted quietly.  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"Because..." He stopped for a second, almost as if he wasn't sure he should tell her, "you're just like 'er."  
  
She looked at him, questioning his words in her head. "Like who?"  
  
There was a reddish tint to his face now. The Delightful Children from Down the Lane's faces twisted into five faces that held extreme interest.  
  
"I- er- um..." He looked down at the ground to hide his completely red face. "Yer jus' like Kuki."  
  
'Numbuh 5 was right, I was a bit obvious.'  
  
*Perhaps that's why Wally didn't like you very much.* The wretched voice spat out in spite.  
  
"Is that why you didn't like me?" Kuki cursed herself the exact moment the words flowed from her mouth. She hadn't meant to repeat them. But when he continued, she was grateful she had asked.  
  
"It's t'e reason I avoided ya." He didn't look as embarrassed as he had been, but he looked a bit shameful, "Almost everyt'in' ya did reminded meh of 'er, but if I said t'at ter t'e othas they'd say everyt'in' did anyway," he chuckled, "I was tryin' ter forget Kuki was gone. I kept wishing s'e was still 'ere, and..."  
  
"And...?"  
  
Wallabee shook his head, "T'at doesn't matta."  
  
"It does!" She encouraged.  
  
"T'e t'ing is, when Kuki left, I felt like mah world collapsed, I'd nave see 'er again. I lost t'e most important t'ing ter meh. It's pretty dumb, but fo' a year I sat by t'e window, 'opin' s'e'd come back. I wanted ter be t'e first ter see 'er.  
  
"And then ya came. I thought I'd 'ate ya, but I neva even gave ya a chance, I wasn't ready fo' anyone ter take Kuki's place, I'm still not. Infact," He smiled lightly to himself, "I know no one can. Though, t'ere's always been somet'in' 'bout ya... t'at's so familia. I like ya, but I dun love ya, I can't. 'Cause I still love Kuki."  
  
Was she dreaming? Had he really just said all that? Or had her ears been deceiving her?  
  
No...she was sure she was awake.  
  
So...He loved her? When did he realize it?  
  
Her hand rested on the visor of her cap. Maybe it was time for her to reveal herself to him. Maybe now she had the guts to tell him how she felt all this time.  
  
No.  
  
Her hand fell lifelessly to her side. She couldn't now. Then he wouldn't let her finish what she had started.  
  
"I think I'm ter blame." He said quietly to himself, "if I 'ad told 'er befo', s'e could still be 'ere."  
  
Kuki felt obligated to say something. How could he blame himself!? It was the others fault, not his. At least that was how she saw it now. "I don't think so..." She began.  
  
"But if I had said something to 'er, she would 'ave stayed...and s'e wouldn't 'ave gone away."  
  
"Perhaps why she left was something the others said, and not what you didn't."  
  
He shook his head. "T'at can't be it. We were all 'er friends."  
  
"What if she heard them discussing cruel things about her?"  
  
Wallabee looked at her curiously. "T'en s'e would 'ave 'eard wrong. We neva talked ill of 'er. Like I said we were all 'er friends."  
  
Kuki tilted her head slightly, doubtful that he was telling the truth. "What about the day she left?"  
  
"T'e day she left...?" His eyes got that familiar distant look to them. "We 'ad gotten a call from Numbuh 274. 'e 'ad told us about Numbuh 25 and 'ow s'e was constantly screwing up on all of 'er missions. 'e wanted us to look afta 'er and see if s'e was still Kids Next Door material, or if we were better off keepin' 'er off the team. Nu- Kuki was still asleep and we didn't want to wake 'er.  
  
"So the othas began a small conversation about 'er, deciding if they wanted 'er in the tree house or not. Of course none of us did so we decided it best that she were off the team all togetha."  
  
"You mean you guys weren't talking about m- her after all?"  
  
Wallabee narrowed his eyes and felt his head move back and forth. "We neva would 'ave in t'e first place."  
  
Kuki starred blankly at the floor. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, ready to escape if she would only allow them to.  
  
She had spent a year away from her friends, and Wallabee, when she could have been happy. But she wasted a year thinking they betrayed her.  
  
But really she had betrayed them.  
  
And him.  
  
She felt sick. Sick of herself. All the pain could have been avoided if she had stuck around long enough to find out for herself. But she had run off.  
  
She caused Wallabee pain most of all. She was inconsiderate. She deserved what was going to happen to her.  
  
She glanced down at her watch.  
  
'But Wallabee doesn't.' She told herself.  
  
*No, he doesn't, * the voice echoed, *how could you cause such pain to someone you care for so deeply?*  
  
'But you told me to run!' Kuki accused.  
  
*And you listened?* The voice laughed cruelly.  
  
Her eyes quivered, yes, she had to be responsible for her actions. "I'm sorry..." She whispered to the floor that starred back up at her.  
  
"Excuse me?" He asked not hearing the entire thing.  
  
She squeezed her eyes together tightly before looking up at him. "You have to go Numbuh 4. It'll be alright, I promise."  
  
Wallabee sighed, he hadn't much energy to argue at the moment so instead he bobbed his head up and down. "Alright."  
  
She smiled thankfully at him and he returned it. "Good-bye, forever..." She said to his retreating back.  
  
"Finally!" The Delightful's sighed in relief, reminding Kuki that they were still there.  
  
She blinked the tears from her eyes and smirked at them. "And good-bye to you all too." She gave another glance at her watch.  
  
'It was nice knowing all of you.'  
  
"What are you talking about?!" They shrieked, but they soon got their answer as the ground rumble slightly under them. "What's going on?!" They yelled in fright, glaring at her.  
  
"The end." She replied and pressed a button on her rabbit shaped watch.  
  
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The fur kids stood in a distance from the large ( A/N: I just remembered that in a great story that I read a while ago there was something similar to the warehouse thingy already happened so I'm changing the scene to the Delightful's mansion ^_^) mansion owned by the Delightful Children from Down the Lane.  
  
Wallabee's and Abby's eyes widened at the debris.  
  
"Numbuh 3's still in t'ere!" Abby yelled.  
  
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Demon: HAHAHAHA! I've finally finished this chapter! I've been working on it for months now! Sorry but I had writters block so if it came out bad you can blame the writer's block ::picks up a torch and pitchfork:: Whose w/ me?!  
  
4: heh not today n_n  
  
Angel: ::shakes head:: n.n  
  
2: Put 'em down before you hurt yourself! Or worse one of us!  
  
Demon: --;; Fine ::puts down pitchfork and torch:: but actually I tried my hardest to finish the chapter because I'm going camping for 2 weeks and then I only come back a day and then I leave for another week but I'm going up to Maine O_O it'll be a long 3 weeks! So the next Chapter will be up as soon as I have internet access, which is in 3 weeks --. But who knows?! In that time my writters block maybe gone and I'll be able to update once a week again ^_^. Here's the thing, no flames about me taking so long or I will not update V_V.  
  
4: FLAME HERE ABOUT IT! ::gets hit w/ a frying pan:: @.@ owiez  
  
Demon: ::hides another frying pan behind her back:: well c yaz ^^ Review! Oh and yes, as most of you guessed by the third or second chapter, they didn't talk about her, but I didn't want to give it away ^^;;. Oh and if ne1 has a Numbuh 25 as an OC don't yell at me or anything! It was more or less a random Numbuh hehe ^^ 


	15. Burning Souls

Demon: Alright I'm back and rearin' ter go!  
  
4: ...o.0  
  
Demon: Shuddap!  
  
4: I didn't say anythin'!  
  
Demon: But you were thinkin' it!!!  
  
4: ...roight...  
  
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Chapter 15- Burning souls (am I the queen of crappy chapter titles or what?!)  
  
Harsh and burning wind blew across their faces, almost creating a chill over them when the blast subsided slightly. The four operatives mouths hung open with slight awe at the debris around.  
  
The once tall mansion fell in shambles of rocks and granites. Even small piece of furniture and even gols littered the area, feeding to the flames that claimed their land.  
  
Fire...Yes it was everywhere. It made it seem there were no survivors, and possibly there wasn't...  
  
The thought crossed all their minds, each racing so quickly. Questions, answers, riddles and rhythms. It was almost unnerving. With no reply or words each operative ran down the street, back to the mansion they escaped from to find their missing friend, if even they could find her body...  
  
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The search had probably taken to about four hours, and that was rounding down. The flames had flickered off for quite a while now. They had eaten their filling and found no need to stick around.  
  
Wallabee dug into the ruins, finally feeling the dirt and soil being scooped up by his fingernails. Who would of thought it would have taken this long to even search for a body? Perhaps they should have found it by now, four different people searching different grounds, but no one even came up with a missing button.  
  
Maybe her body was burned in the flames? The thoughts made him mentally and physically slap himself. How could he think that? He should be positive about this. No, that wasn't possible, but she should at least see the bright side. He sighed as he removed another bolder of the site.  
  
His knees gave out as he fell onto the grass. He felt sick now. His stomach churning and lurching. And there was no ignoring tat painful stab at his heart, nor the headache forming.  
  
Crystalline tears wet Wallbee's face. He fought as violently as he could to keep the sobs in, but most was too powerful for him, and he failed.  
  
There was no bright side to this...  
  
Numbuh 3 was dead. Or was it Kayonie now? Yes, Kayonie was dead.  
  
And Kuki was still missing. Hope and faith all left at that moment.  
  
Wallabee had nothing else. Not now, not ever. He was finally opening up to this new girl, finding someone else besides Kuki to confide in... But both left him. Both never even said a word.  
  
Both left that painful stab to rip his heart out through his chest and pull it out as he would watch in horror as it bled, and he fell to the floor, his last vision of his leaking heart haunting his mind. There was no forgiveness for that.  
  
Wallabee sobbed silently now. The tears forced their ways down his cheeks and dripped off his chin, down to the floor, turning the dirt into slick mud.  
  
What was left for him? Just his friends? Was that enough? Somewhat perhaps...But did he loose the only people that could ever truly love him more than that? He never even gave the 'new girl' a real chance...Too busy pushing her away in fear that she'd come to close. And then he allowed the barriers to fall...  
  
What kind of sick prank was life twisting for him?  
  
"H-hey guys?!" Numbuh 2's voice called upon them in the background.  
  
Three other heads perked themselves up, one quickly and brutally wiping away tears and leaving a deep red mark across his nose and eyes.  
  
"I-I-" Neither of them had enough patience for him to stutter out the words. Wallabee picked himself up immediately and hurried over to the slightly large boy.  
  
His eyes widened in horror. The tears reanimated themselves and began falling as if they had never ceased. Wallabee only saw the blurry images that lay infront, and nothing more, not anymore. This void that growing, it was becoming so familiar now. He accepted it like he would a friend with open arms.  
  
But he didn't except what lay before.  
  
Wallabee dropped down on the opposite side of Hoagie and gently pulled the still form from his arms. Kayonie lay so motionless like a wax dummy in a shop window.  
  
His mouth formed a gape as he trailed a shaking finger down the curve of her pale Asian skin.  
  
"'ey Numbuh 3!" He shouted a small smile formed on his lips, "it's time ter wake up! C'mon Sheila!" He shook her slowly at first and then more violently. His smile was slowly beginning to disappear, the situation sinking in, and disbelief taking form into belief and fear.  
  
Abby sniffed, her head was bent down in shame. She wouldn't allow them to see her tears, but she wasn't able to hide them in either. Nigel placed a comforting arm around her shoulder. She knew he understood her.  
  
He pulled her in a bit closer so that she was able to rest her head on his shoulder. Abby smiled, the way everyone smiles when they're not sure if it's right to be in such a comfortable place when others couldn't, and you felt so at peace, yet so disgusted, vulnerable, and most of all lost while you drown within your own tears. She flung her arms around his neck and let herself cry harder. Her care for what the others thought was now gone.  
  
"You can't be!" He shouted at her, knowing full well that she possibly was. Wallabee choked on a sob as he buried his face in her neck. He couldn't look at her lifeless features. Something told him it was his fault.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" Abby absently yelped into Nigel's shoulder. He patted her back slightly awkwardly.  
  
"Nobody blames you..." His words soothed her somewhat. Abby looked up behind him with a fleeing thought before falling into more sobs.  
  
'But I could have prevented it.'  
  
"Wallabee?" The youth's tears stopped abruptly when the voice rang in his ears. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, or if it were actually speaking. "Why are you crying?" Wallabee brought up his face just to look into foreseeing violet orbs, large and on the verge of tears itself.  
  
"Numbuh 3!" Was that him? It didn't sound like himself...  
  
She gave him a half smile, her eyes lightly closing, and water fell silently like a stream. "Numbuh 4..." He tilted his head and then shook it.  
  
Hoagie still sat in the same position, he was in struggle as well. Was he supposed to say something, or should he allow Wallabee and 'Kayonie' their little time? Obviously she had chosen for all the questions.  
  
"You shouldn't talk, not now, later." There was new hope brimming in eyes. Things seemed to be looking up. Of course when your up, there's only down, or was that the other way around?  
  
"What do mean?" Urgency she detected.  
  
"I..." So much difficulty, her eyes still shut. They had already surrendered, but her soul wouldn't. Only a few more minutes! " I love you..." She smiled inwardly. So now he knew, and both bottled up emotions and life to life struggles were over, forever.  
  
Wallabee's eyes grew wider in fright as the body in his arms grew lighter and limp. Her face became so much paler, and a single tear streaked down her cheeks and then all ceased to fall on her damp skin.  
  
He shook her. Nothing.  
  
He yelled in her ears. No movement.  
  
Abby couldn't take it much longer as she fell to her knees, Nigel slipping down next to her.  
  
"So cruel," she whimpered in Nigel's ear, more sobs engulfing her. "Why did he have to lose her three times?" She looked up at him inquiringly.  
  
Nigel only starred at her, not understanding what she meant. Then he decided it was from when she ran away from them that first time they met, along with only yesterday and just now. Or maybe she was so mixed up in grief she was thinking wrong. Either way he wasn't quite sure how to answer her question.  
  
He could lie. A look into her dark brown eyes told him otherwise. He would never be able to lie to her, not now, not ever. "I'm not sure, this is the plan worked out for us by larger forces beyond all of our control."  
  
"But it wasn't her time!" Abby screeched. Nigel pulled her into another hug and whispered all words that came to his head to help her. Yet she continued her crying, and he continued wiping his own tears away that were uniquely hidden behind his dark shades.  
  
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Demon: Ahhh! Sorry I got to end it there! I sort of drew a blank, and it will actually give me something to write about instead of endless jabber in the next!  
  
4: So read and review!  
  
Angel: ::reading off a cue card:: feed the muse...?  
  
Demon: ^_^ yes, press the pretty shiny blue, or is it purple? Button at the bottom and submit! You know you want to! Now please do so! The more you feed the quicker I type, gracious! Er- I mean thank you, see it's all damn school's fault that I couldn't update, but now I may get back to my original weekly updates ^___^ but sadly, don't count on it, I got projects and uindecent friends who leave to Virgina when we have to do a project! And thyen em internets being evil so please, be patient, though you all have and I thank you gor that. I am very grateful! So please feed mah muse! 


	16. Lost for Words

Demon: thanks everyone!  
  
4: mhm...  
  
Demon: ::sighs:: Numbuh 4! You've been here with me writing this fic since the beginning!  
  
Angel: ::sends Numbuh 4 a sympathetic look::  
  
Demon: Can't we make amends!? There's only one or two more chapters left!  
  
4: ...no...  
  
Demon: ::sighs and blows out air:: alright fine! We still have a few more ¾ fics to go through before I throw in the towel, there'll be time!  
  
4: O_OU  
  
Demon: ^_^ This isn't the last chapter, well possibly not, but I'd still like to mention Pweney16. Thank you! Without cha...well I would have been finished with this fic last year! Thanks for letting me use the plot! (credit goes to pweney16)  
  
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Chapter 16-  
  
There was a silence. Not the eerie kind when you could hear a pin drop, but the kind where sobs filled the air, but tended to fade in the distance.  
  
And there was deep stabbing pain. And it hurt, so much that it was getting harder and harder too not just scream out in anguish. It felt almost unbelievable that any of them could feel a single thing, when they all felt so numb.  
  
Wallabee pulled away slowly. His eyes looked her over cautiously. Her clothes were torn and battered, her face had dirt stains on it. She looked in desperate need of a bath.  
  
But Wallabee still saw her beauty, if only he could tell her that. He loved Kuki, and he loved Kayonie too... Now both were out of grasps, and there was no denying now.  
  
Kuki would never come back. He chastised himself for ever believing that. What a lovesick fool he had been.  
  
What a lovesick fool he was now...  
  
He constantly cried over what would never be his. What made him think that Kuki would or ever had loved him?  
  
But Kayonie had, and Kayonie was just like her.  
  
Now he felt so awful. He was mourning Kayonie...but only truly thinking of Kuki. He felt guilt pile itself up in the depths of his stomach. He felt like vomiting now, he was so sick.  
  
Not of the lifeless body that still rested limply in his arms, but of himself. He had to live with himself to his death. How unfortunate was he?  
  
Wallabee only now realized that tears were once more forming in his eyes, and falling endlessly down his cheeks, one after another. He thought he had already cried all his tears away. Then again he had always been wrong.  
  
A hand unconsciously moved to play with a strand of slender and long black hair. Wallabee felt the texture between two fingers. It was softer than he expected, unlike he had expected. It reminded him of a distant memory that he was trying to let go of. Something about her hair was just so memorable.  
  
Wallabee looked at previously dirty cap. She wore it everyday, he remembered once that she had said it had sentimental values to it. He suspected a parent of hers, but she never said anyone in her family, in fact who was to say she had family?  
  
It was going to be hard to tell her parents she was dead. It always was. To see them break down and cry in the door way screaming out the name. Kuki's parents weren't alive, so they had to tell her grandparents. They both almost had a heart attack.  
  
Wallabee smiled despite his tears. Now he remembered the memory of her hair. It was reminding him of Kuki's. Long, dark, and mysteriously beautiful. He stroked the only long part of Kayonie's hair, just as something snapped.  
  
Kayonie's hair was short, never even fell past her neck. He ran his hand through the strands, his eyes seeming to question them. Wallabee looked back at Kayonie's face and her white, almost brown from grudge and black with soot. Her hat seemed to just be sitting there, not on as tightly as it usually was.  
  
He glared down at her, asking the lifeless girl many questions with his eyes, but never spoke a word or syllable. Tears streaked down his face, with accusations, but he wasn't sure what he was accusing her of, just knowing she was at fault for something.  
  
Besides destroying what little piece of heart and care he had left.  
  
His fingers touched her forehead slowly enough that it would have made you think he hadn't wanted to wake her up from a slumber. He felt the bottom part of the visor from her cap and slowly, but very surely he began to push it back.  
  
Hoagie, who had been unable to tear his eyes away from the two, feeling that if he had he would betray someone, somehow, wasn't sure what Wallabee was doing, but didn't ask any questions. It was better not to.  
  
Abby had calmed down only a second ago but as she looked back behind her she fell back against Nigel once more and broke into more sobs. She was guilty. Not of murder, but prolonging pain. If she hadn't kept her mouth shut, things could have been different. Curse her for being such a good friend.  
  
Nigel wrapped his arms around her waist once more and patted her back, hoping to somehow help her, again.  
  
Wallabee felt tears welling. Of course that had come more than a dozen times in the past hour, but they were somehow different. It was like joy and pain all falling helpless into racked sobs that he held captive in his throat. He wouldn't let it go, not until he knew. Unconsciously he drew in a deep breath and held it without his own knowledge.  
  
With one light push her cap fell, and suddenly life fell into the hands of an editing crew, as things seemed to slow down. The cap fell on its back, if you could call it that, scattering some dirt from its original place.  
  
Long raven hair tumbled into wild messes, tumbling in odd places, some fell as low to the dirt, mimicking what the hat had done moments ago.  
  
The larger boy, Hoagie, gasped. "Numbuh 3?!" He yelled out the obvious, and it just made Wallabee feel so much worse.  
  
His vision became scarred, he couldn't see anymore. He would have thought he was blind but things were only blurred. In his mind he could see multiple images. They came from no where, and had no purpose. Yet they did. Image after image became so clear.  
  
Kuki. Kuki. Kuki.  
  
So many memories of her smiling face, of her perky high pitched voice. Everyhthing about her.  
  
Wallabee exhaled and the tears fell quickly and he could see Kuki now.  
  
Torn, battered, her spirit destroyed. Dead.  
  
Dead...  
  
Dead! He waited so long to find her dead! Wallabee spent day after day watching the clear path, waiting for the arrival of the one girl whom meant so much to him once.  
  
Then she came in the form of a hopeless minimum wage female. Not from the window, but on the street. Then an angel that had fallen battered to the world of life and death.  
  
His second angel.  
  
His second chance. But it was his first chance all over again. How could he not of known? Hadn't he been in love with her?!  
  
His vision was stolen again. He hated the girl in his arms. Hated her to death.  
  
How could she not have told him?  
  
It was all her fault!  
  
He had all rights to blame her!  
  
Her fault!  
  
Her fault!  
  
Her...His fault. His fault for being blinded by pain and pride. Damn him!  
  
He let her get away. He let her stay and die. He let her take up his entire life, take over his mind.  
  
He was at fault. He was the creator of all his pain, but she was his tormentor.  
  
"It's alright Wallabee." A voice spoke to min as the wind blew by. He shrugged it off, thinking it was just one of the others. His head just felt heavy again as he let it fall in the crevice of her neck, and he fell vulnerable once more.  
  
Her words came back to him... She loved him too? She admitted it to him, just before her life vanished in a single breath. Wallabee could hear the cruel laughter of life yell from behind him, high pitched and all. Death and life. It was all the same; it was all against him now, like it always had been.  
  
Purpose was gone. Wallabee had no reason to leave. When his friends decided to get up and leave, well, he made up his mind. He was going to stay and hold her form, which wasn't really her at all, now was it? He knew he was stubborn. But there was no one to care.  
  
No reason for them to either. He didn't care about them. Not any more. Any purpose to life was gone now.  
  
It died just moments ago. When the violet eyes had closed too never open again.  
  
"Please, Wallabee, stop your crying, everything is alright..." That voice spoke up. Wallabee looked around the grounds, but only saw Hoagie quietly crying to himself, staring at her body, Abby crying to Nigel, and the strong leader was holding back his own tears behind black shades.  
  
He shook his head, he must have been going insane. Hearing voices was a sign of insanity. He starred back at the beaten face that had shined so brilliantly a year ago.  
  
How could she have done this to him? First she left, then she came back, made him fall in love with her all over again, and then leave him. But this time she wouldn't come back. This time waiting by the window was a lost cause.  
  
This time she wouldn't be a waitress in a restaurant that he bumped into on the street. She'd never smile again, and some how this was her fault. And somehow this was his all his fault too.  
  
He rebelliously wiped away the tearstains that consumed each other.  
  
"She's alright... Take care of her." The unidentified voice was still speaking in his mind, still destroying him. It was giving such false hope. Wasn't it trying to comfort him? Then why was it making him feel so much worse about the whole situation?  
  
"Listen to her heart beat. The light hasn't faded yet Wallabee." The sobs became background noises in his mind. He was going insane. He knew it now. But the voice, he was unsure if it was female or male, or even human for that matter, but it was so convincing.  
  
Wallabee didn't know what good it would do, nor what harm it would do either. It was nagging him to obey this disembodied voice, or maybe it was his last inch of sanity slipping through his fingers, but Wallabee moved closer down to the girl.  
  
He didn't hear anything, or at least anything loud. He placed his ear down by her shoulder, listening intently. Nothing.  
  
Yes, he was going insane. Listening to voices in your head was not the right path in the first place.  
  
"She breaths." It whispered to him again. "Take care of her," there was something urgent in the words but he took no heed. He brought his face up, finding it too close to hers.  
  
His face uncontrollably moved even closer to hers, so that he seemed to be hovering. His breath came out short now, and he tried to tell his heart to stop pounding so loudly, as if she would wake up from a deep slumber and yell at him. How could his heart still beat this way for someone who wasn't there to ever share his feelings? How could his heart even beat when it was broken in a million pieces of glass?  
  
Soft and warm air caressed his cheeks. Funny...It was cold outside. No that was a straight out lie, it was freezing!  
  
His face fell into a look of deep puzzlement. "Kuki?" He asked although he knew no answer would come.  
  
"She's alive..." Was the final whisper Wallabee heard.  
  
His index and middle finger went out to touch her neck in the one spot they knew where too. A pulse throbbed back at them, indicating the best.  
  
She was in fact, alive. (and Wallabee wasn't going insane!)  
  
"She's... Breathing..." Wallabee gasped out so quietly that nobody was sure if they actually heard him. "She's alive." His words were choked by more tears.  
  
Maybe life didn't have it out for him as much as he thought.  
  
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Demon: Wolah! YAY! I finally finished! Yeah, watch out for another chapter ^_~! And would you think I'd let one of my favorite and the main character in this story die?  
  
4: ::looking through her notes of an OS (Original story) that she has:: In here you're going to kill off one of your characters in the very end! And she's the one the stories based on!  
  
Demon: --;; Well the stories more based on the male in it... Just be quiet Numbuh 4! Anyway, I know that the end in here is different than what you suggested Pweney, but I sort of wanted to do the 'voice' thing... I thought that would fit in more... Alrightie, please review guys! ^_~ 


	17. Not So Alone

Demon: Here we go! Last chapter in abandoned! ::Starts crying::  
  
4: Foinally! I thought it neva end!  
  
Demon: It doesn't ::smiles evilly despite the tears::  
  
4: It...doesn't? ::gulps::  
  
Demon: nope, we still have Operation: HURT, and I have plenty of fic plots in my head, believe me, I'm not letting you go so quickly ^_~  
  
4: --;; She doesn't own Codename: Kids Next Door, the plot, or really anything, not even her computer!  
  
Demon: ::sulks::  
  
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Silent tears hadn't stopped falling for quiet a while now. Tears of relieved pain and sudden bliss were mixing together as they made the familiar trip upon his slender cheeks, and rested down forever on the damp blankets that hugged the limp form of an Asian skinned female. She had been like that for the past three hours, and no signs of waking up. Visiting hours had been over for the at least an hour now, although he found that if he was quiet enough, they wouldn't notice him.  
  
Actually it had been a nurse that had allowed him to acquire this knowledge. She wasn't an adult. She was a young teenager, nurse in training, not very much older than he was. He was sure that he knew her before, perhaps she was in the Kids Next Door herself, but he wasn't sure of that either.  
  
He azure eyes had shown sympathy to him and the young girl that lay in sheets on the bed. Something about the way she looked in between them, she knew what had happened, though he had filled in most of the blanks. It was women's intuition he guessed. They always knew something the males didn't. They were sometimes aggravating. (A/N: Don't hurt me for saying that! I'm female!)  
  
So why were they in this hospital in the first place? Wasn't it that they didn't trust adult or their methods at all?  
  
It was the honest truth. And it was possibly one of the reason's Wallabee stayed there, if not just to watch Kuki awake from what ever dreams she was having. His eyes watched her expectantly, almost hoping she would jump in a sudden flash and hug him close, clinging to him after awaking from a nightmare.  
  
Alas, she did not. Not a stir. Not a flinch or a single movement. At least he was able to see her now, and not have to some hollow earth. She would awake. The doctors were sure of it. In fact, they had said her condition was lightening up.  
  
Whatever her condition was.  
  
Another reason to their location was the sheer fact that this particular hospital was closet to their previous whereabouts.  
  
Though what was slightly weird was the fact that everyone had a tendency to walk by and whisper, or shout: "That's one of Lena's friends!" And then walk off with their head dropped in silent mourning. None of them were exactly sure who Lena was, but somehow she had a connection to Kuki. And possibly the key to where she had been during the recent year.  
  
Perhaps she had kidnapped Kuki and only let her out to do chores and other ridiculous thing adults made children do. What a sick lady she was.  
  
As soon as Kuki woke up, he'd hold her protectively and tell her that everything was all right now. That she would never have to work for the horrid lady again!  
  
But then he'd apologize for being a jerk to her, and explain exactly why he was. Only then would Wallabee let her know that what he'd said was about friendship, or the spur of the moment confession. That he truly did love her. Even when he didn't know it was her.  
  
Wallabee hovered over Kuki's peaceful face. She was always an angel. Especially in her sleeping state. His hand unconsciously brushed itself heavenly soft against her cheek. He took in a deep breath, trying to subside his tears for a moment. His eyes felt lazy and heavy. To relieve them of unnecessary strength he closed them lightly.  
  
He moved unconsciously closer, his mind leading the way. Soon enough, of course, ran out of space to draw closer. His lips softly touched anthers in short and sweet bliss, although disappointment came when there was no response on the other side. He truly wasn't expecting any from the unconscious female.  
  
He pulled back rather quickly, a light pink coating his cheeks faintly. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, no one was around, and the one he had shared that quick intimacy with wasn't awake to even realize what had happened. But slight guilt stabbed him in the back. Ha had taken a kiss without her permission.  
  
But she had said that she loved him. Would she mind? Did she even have to know?  
  
This only made him feel guiltier, so with a sigh he leaned back into the uncomfortable chair. Wallabee watched Kuki breath evenly, and he wasn't sure, but he swore he saw a smile playing lazily on her lips.  
  
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Abby lounging on the large red chair in the main room, eyes adverted to the ceiling. She had confessed only minutes ago that she had known Kuki's identity for a while. Now shame ragged her heart, along with a pang of regret for not saying a word about it.  
  
But perhaps she did the right thing as well. She was true to her friend. That had to count for something!  
  
Abby heaved a great sigh and straightened herself up. Her back leaned against the hard cushions that seemed especially rough tonight. Her glossy eyes were now fixed on the coffee table, showing her deep thoughts to all that looked within the dark brown depths.  
  
And even without starring into her eyes, one could tell that pain that radiated from her.  
  
She ran a hand roughly over her eyes, feeling the irritation building in them. They must have looked like puffy red cherries, but she couldn't care less.  
  
Nigel snaked one long arm around her shoulders in condolence. He had been sitting with her ever since. He hadn't the heart to leave her alone. Especially when she was in this type of mood. Hoagie was working on a few experiments in his room, something having to do with making a machine work longer. It was his way of dealing with unavoidable subjects.  
  
"There's a lesson to be learned here Numbuh 1," Abby sighed, knowing she sounded like a chastising school teacher with noting better to do.  
  
A solemn smile made its way across Nigel's face. He rubbed her shoulder with his hand for reassurance. When it was obvious that she wasn't going to continue without any encouragement, he spoke up. "And exactly what would that be?"  
  
"Poor Numbuh 4," there was a pause on her part. Her eyes peered up at Nigel through her unshed tears. Something about this...it was so familiar. It was a nagging sensation inside her, pulling at her sleeves and telling her to wake up, but she couldn't. "With all that's been going on does Numbuh 5 really have ta explain?" These words just fell off her tongue like a memorized script, but she had no idea where it had come from. "Remember that conversation we had a few weeks ago? The one where you admitted haven feelin's fo' that mystery gal?"  
  
As Nigel nodded his head hesitantly, Abby felt herself wince both physically and emotionally. She had remembered the conversation word for word, but it pained her. She even asked herself at night why she even went through with all the suffering.  
  
"Numbuh 5 thinks that maybe ya should just come out and tell her... I mean, what if the same thing happened to you like it did Numbuh 4? Ya wouldn't wanna go through life regettin' that you neva told her, would you?"  
  
There was still some hints of pain in his smile, he couldn't be completely happy with one of his friends in the hospital, but he was smiling the best he could in this situation. "I think you're right Abby." He said her name purposely, hoping she would catch it. But her face continued looking at him grimly.  
  
She sighed, and turned her gaze away from him this time. She wished him luck in the back of her mind, although another part of her was hoping this girl would trip and break her neck. "Numbuh 5 knows..." Was her low murmur. She sat from her perch and bit her bottom lip.  
  
Almost suddenly though, a hand reached out and brought her back just as quickly. Instantly something snapped inside Abby's mind, and she knew what was coming next.  
  
Soft and calm lips were pressed gently against hers in a long awaited kiss. She gasped quickly before instinctively responding. A few tears slipped from her eyes as they closed. Ones that had been building up for a while, now able to fall.  
  
When his lips retreated form hers, Abby's eyes opened, slightly dazed. "Nu- Numbuh 1?" She asked. The quick events catching up to her once more, after fleeing for a quick second.  
  
Nigel smiled again, grabbing her hand and placing it within his own. His eyes memorized each detail of her fingers and fine skin. "I like Abby...A lot..." His voice was an embarrassed whisper, a deep crimson blush stained his deathly pale cheeks.  
  
Abby goggled at him, as it sunk in. No words found her. She was always deemed as the quiet one, but when she talked she always knew the exact words. But this was an exception... A wonderful and welcome exception at that.  
  
Abby placed a light kiss on Nigel's cheek, watching with amusement as he turned a deeper red. His eyes peered over the rims of his glasses, inquiring her as they often did. She only nodded, still at a loss...  
  
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Demon: Hey notice this is Numbuh 5's dream from Chapter 8? Hehe. Well, that's the end!  
  
4: Wot!?  
  
Demon: The end!  
  
4: It can't be!  
  
Demon: ::smiles evilly:: if you insist!  
  
4: ::groans at his mistake and slaps his head::  
  
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Wallabee's eyes opened as the first rays of the sun leaked in through the lazily closed curtains. He growled angrily at the source, but only turned his head away. The light was not one to be ignored, and it seemed to intensify its rays on the boy whom was trying to sleep for only two minutes longer. If he were allowed of course.  
  
His hand came up to his forehead, ruffling up his own hair. Ina groggy attempt to fall back into dreams he turned his head once more. He slurred in pain when his head came into contact with a hard metal railing.  
  
One of his eyes cracked open to take a look at his 'attacker'. He had been correct about it being a metal railing. His hand ran through his hand and rubbed his now sore spot, wincing in pain when he found just how hard he could touch before it hurt.  
  
He growled once again in his fury. The day didn't seem all that pleasant so far, and who could tell what the future of the day was going to hold over his head.  
  
Wallabee, for the first time since awaking, which only happened to be two minutes, looked at his surroundings quickly. First he noted the table with a wreath of flowers on lying on top. The other was the large window, drape pulled down sloppily, showing half of the outside world to the viewers eye. And other than the empty bed, in which his head had been placed on, and the chair that he sat in, the room was just an empty pasty white. It was the kind you often saw in horror movies when the main character was locked away because he had told the truth of some sort of creature, but not wanting to listen the ignorant man or woman locks him away.  
  
He rubbed his eyes to remove all sleep form them. The sun wouldn't allow him another moment until tonight. Wallabee took one more glance around the room, finally recognizing it after the sleep haze wore off.  
  
He had fallen a sleep in Kuki's hospital room, still sitting in the chair next to her bed. He smiled wearily, his hand finding the pale blue sheets, but nothing else.  
  
And then it dawned on him slowly...  
  
He was the only one in the room. Not a nurse or doctor, nor the sleeping Kuki were in the room.  
  
Only him.  
  
Startled Wallabee jumped from the seat. The sudden movement caused the chair to fall backwards, sounding in a thud as it hit roughly against the tiled surface. In a hurry Wallabee was out the door, down the hall, and now glaring threateningly at the nurse. He found it quite hard to glare at someone evilly when he was panting, almost gasping for air.  
  
"Wh-Where is she?" Wallabee gasped out at the clueless nurse. She tilted her head, a light smile made its way on her make-up plastered face.  
  
"Hi there little fella! What can I do for you?" Her smile only grew with her words, showing off her bimbo like qualities. "Is your mommy 'round?"  
  
"Where is Kuki?" He asked her in a low voice, slow enough in hopes that she would understand at least every other word.  
  
"Kuki?" The nurse asked, tilting her head once more. Her hair was high and a disgusting brownish color, but Wallabee didn't want to dwell on what color it looked more like.(A/N: I ain't dissin' brunettes! Me sisters are brunettes! ...I'm actually bashing a character I despise form an anime! You'll see who she is!) She closed her light blue and gave out a girlish giggle.  
  
"Sort of tall, waist length raven colored hair, lavender looking eyes, green sweater that's too long for its own good..." He trailed off, hoping she would catch on. The smile on her face, of course, never faded.  
  
"Oh yes, little man, I discharged her just a few hours ago!"  
  
"You what?" Wallabee looked at her unbelieving.  
  
"Oh yes. Such a sweet little girl... Her hair was sort of burnt... You know those girl scouts!"  
  
"Girl...Scouts?"  
  
She shrugged. "Just assuming!" Wallabee felt his fingers curl into a rough fist. It took all his self-control to not just punch the lady out for being an idiot. He wouldn't want to cause a scene, or draw attention to himself. "I think she said she was going to see an old friend by the cemetery... She was awfully sweet... Oooooh! The two of you must be friends! Go friendship! Isn't it the best!" The nurse giggled and bounced behind the counter, her rambunctious curls bouncing with her. She turned back around to see if Wallabee was still there, but when she looked over her shoulder she found nothing but the empty hallway. She had been to work earlier than the rest, mostly because she didn't know when she was supposed to come.  
  
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Wallabee walked up the hill of the steep cemetery. He was out of breath from running the entire five blocks there, and had no more energy left in him to run up the hill. If it weren't for some motivation, he would have passed out by the third block.  
  
He wearily eyed each and every grave stone, mapping out the best places to lay a corpse. If Kuki kept on running off, he was surely going to an early grave. Better to claim a spot now.  
  
As he looked up by the tree, a forever familiar female figure (A/N: lol, dare ya to say that ten times fast!). He took a deep breath, jogging over to her, avoiding obstacles such as flowers and a wide variety of head stones.  
  
Kuki starred at the cold gray stone. The cold wind slapped her long black hair into her face as she hugged herself tighter. Her lavender eyes kept looking over the words that were etched into the hollow marker. A poem she had chosen on her own.  
  
She shivered involuntarily. The sky was a mucky gray, darker then the stones. It set a beautiful contrast to the green colored leaves, brightening them slightly. Despite the cold, this was truly a beautiful day.  
  
"Cold?" A voice asked in a dead whisper. Long arms wrapped lightly around Kuki, as she felt her face grow hot.  
  
"Not anymore...." She whispered, looking down shyly at the ground.  
  
"T'at wasn't a very nice t'ing ya did ta meh back t'ere. I though ya had left meh fo' good."  
  
It only took a second for Kuki to understand what he meant. Her embarrassment was quickly forgotten, as a stab of guilt took its reign. "I'm sorry... It was the only thing that I could think of! You don't understand! It was so confusing and lonesome! I was just so lost!" She could almost feel him smiling behind her.  
  
"You're ramblin'," Wallabee whispered once more, pressing his lips lightly against one of her cheeks. "I forgive ya...I could stay mad at ya, but if ya eva do t'at again, I'll probleh kill ya mahself."  
  
She forced down a giggle from his obvious joke, and sighed contently, leaning back a little more. Her eyes closed softly. It was almost like a dream now. In all the hours she had been standing here, talking to the soul that was long gone, rambling on about each event as it passed, she was now content, and so sure that this was reality.  
  
Not as cold and bleak as it had once appeared. It was warm, comforting.  
  
That was, as long as she knew she wasn't alone. That she had friends that cared for her. Someone to love her now, possibly forever...  
  
No, the world was fantastic now. Despair would always play its part, but the light would always break through. It always had, and always would somehow. And as the first rain drop of the storm swam down her pale face, she could only smile.  
  
"God must have seen, that we were in need, so he sent us an angel in the form a human. Always so kind, a generous smile, friend to all, never a foe. Loved by all, that's why we wept so, when God decided he needed her back up in heaven..." She sighed deeply, her eyes still closed, liquid gluing her eyelashes.  
  
"What's t'at?"  
  
"A poem... I chose it for Lena's grave."  
  
"Lena?" Wallabee almost choked on the air itself. Lena was the lady that had 'hurt' Kuki...wasn't she?  
  
"Lena was an adult, and she was my best friend. She showed me that not all adults are so awful. While I was gone, Lena was taking care of me, it was all her idea. If I worked for her in the diner, she would give me a place to stay and eat. It was actually a great deal on my part... I didn't even need to help her she told me once. But I did anyway. She deserved it."  
  
Wallabee's features softened as he peered over Kuki's white hat at the grave stone. "S'e wasn't bad at all..." He heard himself muse out loud. Kuki nodded. "Thank ya Lena..." He whispered out, only loud of enough for them two to hear, and perhaps neighboring gravestones. At that second a light wind pressed by teasing with their hair as it flew by and slipped across the grass.  
  
"We should go," Kuki stated, looking up at the darkening sky. Her companion nodded in agreement, grabbing her hand lightly.  
  
"T'e othas are waiting' fo' us. And ya need ya rest." They walked almost halfway down the steep hill before something came to mind.  
  
"Wallabee, wait just a minute!" It was more of a command, and Kuki didn't waste a moment to get an answer as she darted back up the hill. With one deep breath Kuki took off her hat and kneeled on the dirt, not caring if her pants became dirty, it wouldn't show through the dirt. She was consciously aware of the hand placed on her shoulder.  
  
"Here, this was my cap for a while. I want you to have it back Lena." Kuki put the dirty white cap on the wing of an angel that emerged from the slab. With a sad smile she rose, wiping old forgotten tears from her cheeks.  
  
Wallabee turned her around so she was looking him in the eye. "It's alright Kuki..." He wiped a tear from her cheek, "c'mon, the othas are gonna worry." Hesitantly, he placed his lips to hers in a soft and short kiss, like some children their age often did.  
  
She couldn't help but think... Maybe she wasn't so alone after all... Or abandoned...  
  
After it was broken, and they began their descend upon the hill again, if either had looked back, they would have seen the wind blow, catching the hat in its invisible claws, dragging it skyward.  
  
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Dark red eye dimmed out, becoming completely inaudible, as a grumble was heard, low and miserable of defeat...  
  
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Demon: Oh my guarsh!  
  
4: ::raises eyebrow::  
  
Demon: I... Can't believe its over! ::cries::  
  
4: ::rolls eyes:: Ya not the one who has ta kiss a girl!  
  
Demon: Thank God! I'm straight, hello! I wouldn't want to! 'Sides, I don't like anybody at the moment ::Raises head up high, almost challenging::  
  
Angel: ::holding up a couple of pictures:: them how come these drawing look like that weird boy from are English class that you're constantly starring at?  
  
Demon: ::turns crimson:: ... Go away! Anyway, thanks for reading guys! I enjoyed your reviews, and was very thankful for them! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Oh, and just to let you know, I will update Operation: HURT, sometime around January! Promise! I just need a break from constant typing and all! But I swear! Not in February, January! *^_^*  
  
4: Ya blushin'? Dude, ya actually like t'at kid!  
  
Demon: ::growls at angel:: that's it, your never allowed in my drawing book again!!!!! Also, just pretend that Wallabee took the hat with them, because he probably knew that she liked it and all, so it was on the bedside table! Also, I had to bring Lena back in some how! For a while she was a really good character! And a great friend to Numbuh 3! Thanks to Pwney16, yet again, for the plot! It rocked ^_~! I had so much fun writing this! I know I'm rambling...I don't know how to end! ::rereading the bottom part:: wow...sounds like an open ending? (whatever that is.)  
  
4: Ya like that weird kid from English!!! ::still amused over it:: He's got that girls name! And he finds the strangest things funny!  
  
Demon: ::growling, clenching her fist that is holding a frying pan behind her back:: Hey Numbuh 4...Why don't you come over here?  
  
4: ::looks curious::  
  
Angel: o.0 uh... Sorry you all had to witness that. Thanks again for the reviews and I hope you enjoyed this as much as we enjoyed writing this! ::winces at the sound of metal hitting numbskull:: And in case you haven't figured it out who the nurse was that we were slightly bashing, it was Tea Gardener ( I think that's her last name.) We don't like her, at all. In fact we despise her.  
  
3: ::giggling:: She annoys me too! And I'm the one who likes friendship! And you just heard that from Angel! She's the calmer and more mature of these two!  
  
Demon: HEY!...Is that all? Gee...I guess this is sort of...goodbye! 


End file.
